


No More Secrets

by Angelwithwingsoffire



Series: Terrible Trio [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek POV, Gen, Isaac POV, POV Changes, Stiles POV, lots of them - Freeform, scott pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-11
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-08 09:54:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 51,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithwingsoffire/pseuds/Angelwithwingsoffire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles and Scott used to have a third person in their weird little best friendship, but when they were ten, she left. Now she's back and is shocked to discover that the reason she left, to keep Scott, and more importantly Stiles, out of the supernatural world didn't work out so well. Now, all his cards are on the table and she knows everything about the pack. But can she do the same and trust Stiles with the secrets she spent her entire life hiding from him in order to keep him safe?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stiles is trying not to die

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Teen Wolf story and first one on here so bear with me while I figure this all out.  
> Also, there will be POV changes in this story but I will put who's we're in when I switch.  
> Canon through season two and then it splits off.

Chapter 1. Stiles POV  
Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit I thought as I ran through the forest. Why the hell is it always me? Why do all the monsters come after the only human in the woods when there’s plenty of woods and plenty of wolves to eat instead. Why do I always stumble across the monster of the month?! I ducked another tree and veered off to the left, trying to lose it. We still don’t even know what it is! I heard a familiar growl ahead and sighed. Good. One of them to save me. I kicked it up another notch and sprinted past the figure ahead, recognizing that it was Scott. Great. His mom’s gonna kill me for putting her son in danger. Again. Even though it’s usually him getting me in danger! I should know! Derek yells at me often enough about following him into danger!  
“FASTER STILES!” I heard Scott shout, running past me.  
“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO FIGHT IT OFF DUMBASS!”  
“TOO BIG! RUN!” He said before running out of sight. Of course. Always me at the end. What’s that saying? ‘I don’t have to be fast, just faster than you’? Yea that seems to work pretty damn well for these dumbass wolves. And then I tripped. Of course. I sprawled across the forest floor, rolling over to face my death head on. Then there was a flash of leather above me and I sighed in relief. Thank god for Derek. Wait. That’s not Derek!  
There was a girl standing between me and the monster that had been chasing me. She was dressed in blue jeans and a leather jacket with a hood pulled up so I couldn’t see her head. I could tell it was a girl by the curves of her waist and no man has hips that gorgeous. She had a sword in each hand and was standing tall against the monster.  
“Run!” I shouted through my breathless gasps from running so long and hard. “It’ll kill you!”  
I heard her laughing, it was a barking laugh, full of confidence and empty of emotions. “It can damn well try!” Just then it came into sight and she launched herself at it, slamming her swords into its eyes and twisting, using momentum and what had to be inhuman strength to lift the monster off its feet and swing it over her, slamming into the ground behind her. She was still for a moment before her head snapped up in panic. She yanked on the swords but they didn’t come out. “Shit.” She muttered before jumping over the monster and running off, leaving her swords in the monster’s eyes.  
A second later I found out what had scared her into fleeing as the other wolves came out of the trees, all wolfy and hair covered.  
“Put the wolf away guys.” I said, gasping still. “It’s dead.”  
They all shifted back and Derek hurried over. “Are you alright?” He asked, not even waiting for an answer before patting me down.  
“Fine. Bit bruised from falling but she killed it before it even touched me.”  
“She?” He asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.  
I nodded. “The girl that saved me. She left her swords in its eyes.”  
Derek turned and looked. “Scott, Isaac, get those swords.”  
They nodded and went over. I looked back at Derek. “I’m fine Derek. I am. Really.”  
He nodded and helped me to my feet, taking care of my twisted ankle. “Everyone back to the house.”  
I glanced at the body and watched Lydia lay a hand on it, making it dissolve. It’s quite convenient that we found out that one of Lydia’s little talents from being a necromancy witch is that when she touches monsters and says the right spell over them, they dissolve and we don’t have to deal with cleanup. Convenient, but creepy.  
“Yes it’s convenient Stiles now please shut up.” Derek growled at me. I ducked my head, not realizing I’d said it out loud.  
Derek helped me back to the Hale house that we’d spent the first month of summer rebuilding so the pack would have a place to go when we needed somewhere to be safe and now Derek, and Isaac have a place to live, which is good. I hated going to that run-down train station to see him.  
Derek led me inside and I sat on the couch, propping my leg up on the coffee table. Derek stood against the wall nearby. The rest of the pack filed in after us and sitting around the room, Scott and Isaac still holding the swords.  
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Derek asked.  
I nodded. “Fine. Just tired.”  
“Good. Your dad would kill me if you got hurt on my watch again.”  
I smiled. “He wouldn’t kill you. He knows he can’t. Maybe seriously injure you.”  
Derek just rolled his eyes again. “Good. Then I need you to tell me everything you can about the girl you saw.”  
“I didn’t see much. She was wearing blue jeans, combat boots like Allison wears when we go for a fight, and a leather jacket with the hood up so I didn’t even see her hair color.”  
“So nothing.” Derek summarized. “Great.”  
“Why is it important?”  
“Because I called my dad Stiles and there’s no new hunter in town.” Allison piped up. “Which means she’s going below the radar. Hiding herself. And the others couldn’t even get a scent because she covered it up.”  
I looked at Derek. “But she saved me. So she may not be all that bad.”  
“We still have to know who she is Stiles.” He said, reaching down and running his hand through my hair. I smiled. It feels great and I know he’s only doing it because he knows it calms me down and makes me sleepy.  
I smiled sleepily. “Can I take a nap now?”  
“Yea.” Derek said, smiling at me, still running his hand through my hair. “Go to sleep.” 

3rd Person POV  
Derek looked at his pack as Stiles fell asleep. “We need to find her.”  
“There’s a symbol on the end of this sword.” Scott said, holding it out. “It could help us.”  
Derek held out his free hand for it, pulling his hair from Stiles’s hair to hold the sword. He looked at the end. The symbol was shaped like a ying-yang symbol but instead it was made of a drop of water and a drop of fire. Around it was a vine and it looked like some lines representing the wind as well. He looked up at Isaac. “Does yours have the same symbol?”  
Isaac nodded.  
“Do you recognize it?” Scott asked.  
“Isaac show yours to Peter.” Derek ordered, still looking at the symbol on his. Isaac passed the sword to Jackson who passed it to Lydia who passed it to Peter. “Do you recognize this symbol uncle?”  
Peter looked at it and nodded. “Yes I recognize it. But I can’t place it.”  
“Neither can I.” Derek admitted. “I’ll visit Deaton in the morning and ask him. For now everyone should take Stiles’s lead and get some sleep. Scott, Isaac, Erica, Boyd, remember you have summer school in the morning to make up for missing so much school this year. And you can’t skip either. You’re so close to finishing this and then you get a month to get ready for school. Don’t mess it up now. And I know you have work tomorrow Jackson so you need to rest as well.”  
They all nodded and got to their feet.  
“Can I crash here?” Scott asked.  
Derek nodded. “You all have rooms here, whoever wants to stay can. I’ll take Stiles up to his room and then I’m going to go to bed as well. Try not to die.” With that he picked Stiles up, careful not to wake him, and carried him from the room.  
“Is he going to be okay?” Erica asked. Everyone knew why there was such worry in her voice. This pack is as close as it is because of Stiles. If he leaves, it will fall apart.  
Scott smiled assuredly at her. “He’ll be alright.” He said. “Just took a knock to the head when he fell. He’ll be right as rain once he gets some sleep.” He glanced at the clock and sighed. “And Derek’s right, it’s already three and we have school tomorrow. Come on everyone to bed.”


	2. Trying to figure it out

Chapter 2. 3rd POV  
Derek pulled up to the vet’s and climbed out. Stiles got out of the front and Peter got out of the back, each carrying a long box.  
“What if he’s busy?” Stiles asked.  
“He’s probably not.” Peter said.  
“And if he is?!”  
“Then it’s your fault for sleeping in till noon.” Derek said. “If you’d gotten up earlier we could’ve gotten here during his lunch. Now we don’t have much time so shut and let’s go!”  
They went inside and Derek called for Deaton.  
“Just a minute!” He called back.  
They waited a moment before he came out from the back. “What can I do for you?”  
“Can we go in the back?” Derek asked.  
“Of course. Come on back.” He said, opening the door so the wolves could enter. They went into the back and gathered around the table. “What’s going on?”  
Stiles and Peter set the boxes on the table and opened them, showing the swords.  
“Last night in the woods a woman killed the monster with those swords by driving them into its eyeballs and, using herself as a leverage point, swung it off its feet and into the ground.” Derek explained. “There’s a symbol on the end of both swords that Peter and I both recognize but neither of us can place it.”  
Deaton carefully lifted the hilt of one sword and looked at it. “Yes I know this symbol.”  
“What is it?” Stiles asked.  
“It’s a mark often placed on weapons used by a certain type of Druid. I don’t remember much about them though. They’re a very rare race.”  
“What type?” Peter asked.  
Deaton looked up at them. “The fighting kind. The ones that train to use magic to its full potential and then use it to defend humankind from the monsters in the dark.”  
“That’s why she protected me.” Stiles said. “I’m human and she’s trained to protect humans.”  
“Yes but it’s more than that.” Deaton said. “They are never supposed to be seen. By anyone. Especially not by the humans they protect.”  
“So I’m special? Why?”  
“I don’t know.” Deaton admitted. “I suppose you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”  
Derek nodded. “Thank you Dr. Deaton.”  
He nodded. “I’d keep these swords safe, if need be you could probably use them for a bargaining chip. They’re protective of their weapons.” He went over to his desk and unlocked a drawer, pulled a book out, and turned back to them. “Here. This might help.” He said, holding it out to Stiles, who grabbed it eagerly.  
“Thank you for the advice. And the book.” Derek said. He glanced at the clock. “Come on you two. We have to pick the others up from school.”  
Stiles smiled at Deaton, grabbed his sword in a box, and followed Derek out, Peter right behind him.  
“You can come out now.” Deaton said after he was sure they were out of hearing range.  
“No thanks.” A female voice said. “I’ll sneak out the back.”  
Deaton nodded. “Have a good day.”  
“You too.” She said.  
He heard the soft sound of the back door opening and closing and sighed before going back to his work.  
Ten minutes later Derek was pulling up in front of the school, Stiles in the front seat, and turned the car off to wait for his pack. He turned and looked at Stiles. “What’s got you so happy?”  
“Don’t you see?!” He exclaimed. “This Druid could teach me to fight! She could help me learn to protect myself so I can fight alongside you guys instead of waiting at the sidelines like I always do!”  
“No.” Derek said.  
“No what?”  
“No as in no you’re not learning how to fight.”  
“What?! Why not?!”  
“Because I’m not letting you.”  
“You can’t stop me!”  
“No, but I am pretty sure all it would take is a look from Isaac and you’d fold.”  
Stiles growled at him.  
He laughed. “You’re getting better, still human though.”  
The back door opened and Isaac, Erica, and Boyd slid in.  
“Where’s Scott?”  
“He’s got the car today, he doesn’t need a ride to work.” Isaac said. “Did Deaton know anything?”  
“Yea we’ll talk tonight as a pack.” Derek said. “You get homework?”  
All three groaned. They had to make up all of the school work they missed during the year during the summer in order to move up and stay with their year for graduation. And they’ve been getting more homework as it went along and as it’s the last week it’s the worst. Stiles finds it hilarious.  
“Good. You can do it when we get home then.” He said before starting the Camaro again and pulling out of the school parking lot.

Derek’s POV  
When we got home I got everyone inside and went in the kitchen to see if I needed to go grocery shopping again yet. I looked through all the cupboards and found enough to make dinner tonight, so I set about doing that.  
I smelled Stiles come in and threw a greeting over my shoulder while I cracked eggs.  
“Hey Stiles. Are they doing homework?”  
“Yea they’re working together in the living room.”  
“Good.” I cracked the last egg and threw all the shells away before turning to look at him. He seemed worried. “What’s wrong?”  
He bit his lip and sat down at the island. I turned towards him completely and stared him down. “What’s wrong?” I asked again.  
“This whole thing with her.”  
“Yeah?” I prodded as he didn’t seem to want to continue on his own.  
“I felt like I knew her Derek. Like I’d met her before.”  
“Have you?”  
“No. Never. Not that I know of. I think I’d remember befriending a druid who could kill with a snap of her fingers.”  
“Well there you go. It’s just your imagination Stiles.”  
“I know. I just needed to hear it from someone else.”  
I smiled. “Alright. Now I can hear the pups fighting in the living room so can you stop them while I keep working on dinner?”  
He nodded and turned away. “Thanks Derek.”  
I smiled. “Course.”  
He grinned and left leaving me to deal with dinner. I sighed. Sometimes I hate having a pack of teenagers. And a psychotic uncle. But we tend to overlook his psychotic, murderer phase. Which I guess makes it a little better. I don’t know. I heard the fighting stop and Stiles’s voice as he made them all apologize to each other and get back to work before throwing himself down on the couch and opening a book to pass the time till the rest of the pack gets here for dinner.

When dinner was down I set it all on the big table and whistled, calling them in to eat, before sitting down at the head of the table and waiting for them to get their food. I smiled slightly when I saw that while they’re wild animals over the food they make sure the humans get what they want to eat, which is good. I’m not sure Danny would get much without that. He’s just not violent enough. Once everyone had their food I took my first bite and then everyone else dug in after me. We ate in silence for the next few minutes.  
Once everyone settled down and was eating at a normal pace, everyone looked expectantly at us.  
“So what happened?” Lydia asked.  
“Deacon recognized the symbol.” I said. “It’s the symbol of an ancient race of Druids known for their skills in fighting and healing magic as well as their fighting skills without magic.”  
“What are they called?” Danny asked.  
“Deaton didn’t remember much about them.” Stiles butt in. “He said they’re very rare. But he did give me a book about Druids so hopefully there’s something in there about them.”  
“We don’t know much yet, but we are almost positive that she is no threat to the humans here. Her race swears to protect them from the monsters of the dark.” I said.  
“Like us.” Scott said.  
“Like us.” I confirmed.  
“Do you think she’ll attack us?” Isaac asked.  
“No. There’s too many of us.” Erica said. Then she looked at me, looking slightly scared. “Right?”  
I looked to Stiles and he shook his head.  
“You didn’t see her fight.” He whispered, but everyone could hear him, even the humans. “She could kill you all without breaking a sweat. But I don’t think she will.”  
“Why not?” Jackson asked. “Shouldn’t we be sure?”  
Stiles looked at him. “Deaton said that they aren’t supposed to be seen by the humans. Her letting me see her makes me special. She wants me protected. She won’t hurt my pack. She should know how much that would hurt me.” He glanced at me and then back at him before repeating it. “She won’t hurt us.”  
“Still, she should announce her presence to the alpha of the territory.” I said.  
“Maybe she didn’t know.” Scott suggested. “Or was just passing through. She could’ve just heard Stiles and decided to save him. She’s probably gone by now.”  
“I hope so.” I said. “We don’t need anything else right now. We’ve had more than enough.”  
“Can we track her?” Scott asked suddenly. “Like catch her scent from the place she saved Stiles and follow it to her.  
I shook my head. “I went out this morning and looked, but there’s no scent.”  
“What?” A bunch of them, mostly wolves, said together.  
“Yea. She didn’t leave a scent behind.”  
“Common Druid spell.” Stiles whispered. He glanced at the clock. “Shit!” He exclaimed, scrambling to get his plates to the sink.  
“What?” I asked, worried.  
“I have to be home in ten minutes or dad will ban me from coming out here.” He said, trying to rinse his plates off.  
“Leave them.” I ordered. “I’ll get them when I get back. I’ll take you.”  
He smiled gratefully. “Thanks.” He sighed happily.  
I rolled my eyes. “Go get in the car.” I turned to the pack as he ran out. “Behave. Peter’s in charge till I get back. Clean up after yourselves and then get home.” Then I grabbed my keys and followed Stiles out to the Camaro. He opened his mouth as I approached. “No you can’t drive.” I said, already knowing what he wanted. He sighed and got into the car.

3rd Person POV  
A figure sat in the tree near the edge of the clearing, a bow in her hand and a quiver across her back. She was dressed the same as the night before, the hood still pulled up, but now there was a piece of black cloth wrapped around her head under the hood to hide her face. She listened to the conversation inside the house then bowed her head slightly in relief. She saw the human she saved, Stiles, step out of the house with the alpha behind him. They both got into the black Camaro and drove off. She stood on the branch and spun on the balls of her feet before slipping the bow into its holder on her quiver and launching herself from the branch, grabbing another and swinging from it, back into the forest. As she swung from the branch, she let out a laugh, pure and happy, like music.


	3. She's back

Stiles’s POV  
Derek pulled up in front of my house. “How mad is he?” I asked.  
“He sounds fine. Calm actually. And there’s someone with him.” He answered.  
I nodded. “Good. Maybe he’ll be good then. I mean I’m only ten minutes late so it’s not that bad.”  
He smiled. “Go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”  
“Yea. Dad might want me to hang out with him though so I’ll text you tomorrow.” I said.  
He nodded. “Alright. See you then.”  
I nodded and opened the door, heading up to the door. “Dad?!” I called, walking in. “Sorry I’m late! We started dinner later than usual!”  
“It’s fine!” Dad called back from the living room. “Come in here!”  
I sighed, grabbed some water from the fridge, and went in, taking a sip. I almost spit it out and ended up choking on it when I saw who the visitor was. She jumped to her feet and ran over, lightly hitting my back until I stopped coughing.  
“Sam?” I asked, my voice hoarse from choking.  
She smiled. “Drink some water Stiles you sound half dead.”  
I didn’t bother with the water, just threw my arms around her and hugged her tight. “I didn’t know where you’d gone. You worried me.”  
She wrapped her arms around me and set her forehead against my shoulder like she used to. “It’s okay Stiles. I had to go away for a bit. But I’m back now. It’s all going to be alright.”  
I pulled back, keeping my hands on her shoulder, and looked at her. “Where’d you go?”  
She smiled softly. “I think we have to have a talk. But that can wait till tomorrow. Right now, you and I need a movie night. I haven’t seen the new Star Trek movies yet and I think I will actually die if I watch them with someone other than you.”  
I grinned and looked at dad. “Can we have the living room?”  
He smiled. “Yea I have night shift tonight, but she called the station to ask me to let her in so she could surprise you. We ended up talking instead of me going back in.”  
I nodded. “So I’ll see you in the morning then?”  
Dad nodded. “I’ve got a shift tomorrow to so there’s money on the fridge for pizza if you to hang out tomorrow and I’ll see you tomorrow night.”  
I nodded and grinned at him. “Thanks! And stick to your diet!”  
He just waved and left the house.  
I looked at Sam. “Come on. We’ve got movies to watch and nerding to do.”  
She laughed. “Nerding?”  
“Yes it’s a verb. To nerd. The act of nerding.”  
She rolled her eyes and let me pull her to the couch. I stuck the first new Star Trek movie in and sat on the couch with her, both of us settling into our old positions. I was at the end, one arm thrown across the arm of the couch and the other around her while she leaned against my chest, her head over my heart.  
I smiled. “We still fit together like pieces of a puzzle.” I observed.  
She laughed. Wow I never knew how much I missed that laugh. She laughed again.  
“And you still thought spill.” She said.  
I blushed, realizing I’d spoken aloud, just like I used to do. “I hate you.” I stated. “You always make me do that.”  
She laughed again. “No, you’re just relaxed and speak your mind. Now hit that play button and show me Chris Fine’s face.”  
I laughed, doubling over as well as I could with her laying on me. “What?!”  
She laughed with me, patting me on the back as I was wheezing and tearing up from laughing so hard. She shrugged once we were both calm again. “He is fine.”  
I rolled my eyes, nodding. “That is something I can argue.”

The next morning I woke up tucked up against her, our positions switched so I was lying with my head tucked up under her chin and I could hear her heart beating steadily under my ear and the weight of her arm curving down my side. There was a blanket wrapped around us and I didn’t want to move from the comfort of her arms. I’d missed these arms’ warmth and saftey.  
“Having fun listen to my life?” She asked.  
I smiled. “Why do you always call it that?”  
“What? Call my heartbeat my life?”  
I nodded, not pulling away from the warmth she provided.  
“Because it is.” She stated, shrugging slightly. “Without a heartbeat, there is no life. Without a heartbeat, you’re nothing but a rotting corpse.”  
I sighed. “You’re still just as creepy as I remember.”  
She laughed. “And you still love it.”  
I sighed again, happily. “Always have.” I finally pulled away and sat up to face her. “Wanna hang out today?”  
“Don’t you have plans?”  
“None that can’t wait.”  
She nodded. “Cool. We can have a chat about why you smell like a dog.” She flashed a grin and got up, moving towards the kitchen. “Eggs for breakfast?”  
I sat there in shock. She could smell the wolves on me? What? Since when can she do that? She never mentioned anything weird before. She doesn’t sniff me like the pack does. Or rub her scent on me when I sit next to her. She’s a normal girl. How the hell does she smell the pack on me?!  
“Stiles!” She shouted.  
I snapped towards the kitchen. “Yea?” I winced at the sound of my own voice. I sounded terrified of her. Which I’m not. I’ve never been.  
“You have absolutely nothing good in your kitchen!” She shouted back.  
I sighed, getting up and moving towards the kitchen, warm blanket still wrapped around my shoulders. “Trying to keep dad alive.” I answered.  
She flashed a smile at me. “Good for you. Now where’s your stash?”

Half hour later she had a good breakfast on the table and sat down across from me to eat.  
“What did you mean I smell like dog?” I asked, choosing my words carefully.  
She smiled around her fork as she took a bite of her eggs. She chewed and swallowed before answering. “I never told you because I didn’t want to risk your life. And then I come home to find that you still managed to find your way into the world I so carefully kept you away from. It was quite a shock. But not surprising once I thought about. You always did manage to find trouble.”  
“Hey.” I protested. “I do not find trouble, it finds me.”  
She smiled and took another bite before continuing. “You can’t tell that alpha I’m here.”  
“I have to.”  
“No. I have to. And I will. When I need to. For all I know I’ll be out of here before he even knows I’m in town. I just need to find what I’m after.”  
“What are you looking for?”  
“An iron, Druid medallion. I found it in the woods when we kids and buried it, but when I back to get it, it was gone.”  
“When did you get here?”  
“Two nights ago. Well, early yesterday morning technically. I went to the forest and couldn’t find it so I came to visit you while I thought about where it could be now. I smelled that wolf on you when you came in and realized what you’d managed to get yourself into while I was gone.”  
“Speaking of which, where were you?”  
She smiled. “How about you tell me how you came to be a part of this world, and then I’ll tell you my story?”  
I smiled, knowing that was the best I was gonna get. “After breakfast then?”  
She nodded. “After breakfast. Oh and you should probably text your alpha and tell him you’re not going to be hanging out with him today.”  
I nodded and pulled my phone from my sweatpants pocket and pulled up a message to Derek.  
 _To: Sourwolf_  
 _Hay cant hang today hangin w/ old frend_

_From: Sourwolf_  
 _Fine. Talk to you later then._

I looked up and saw a smirk on her face. “What?” I asked.  
“Nothing.” She said, smirking more. “It’s just that was a pretty fast reply.”  
I shrugged. “He doesn’t have anything to do with his time. He was probably reading. And I didn’t tell him.”  
She smiled. “Thank you. You didn’t have to and I won’t push you to lie if you don’t want to.”  
I smiled up at her. “Thanks.”  
She reached over and patted my hand. “You know me Stiles. I care, but I won’t push. Now finish up. I wanna hear about your adventures in this world.”

Four hours later and I was done. We were on my bed, lying next to each other, my arm around her and her head on my shoulder, both staring at the ceiling like we always did when we talked. I told her everything from the night Scott got bit to the night we stopped the kanima and all the way through to the druids and the girl who saved me.  
“It was sure lucky she was there.” She whispered, clutching my shirt like she thought I’d vanish.  
I reached up with the hand that wasn’t wrapped around her and put my hand over hers, rubbing my thumb across her knuckles, making them relax. “I’m right here Sam. I’m alright. It’s alright.”  
“And Gerard just vanished?” She said, changing the subject away from her obvious worrying about me.  
I nodded. “Allison and her father are looking for him in the woods. We expect to find him dead soon.”  
“And Derek just forgave Allison and Chris for trying to kill him and his pack? And Lydia for using him to raise Peter from the dead?”  
“Those took some prodding on my part. But he knew they were pack already, he didn’t really have a choice. Allison is Scott’s and Lydia is Jackson’s. They’re pack. And so is their extended families because of that. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done in the past, they’ve sworn to protect the pack now and they will keep that promise.”  
She nodded. “You’ve got an amazing pack Stiles. Wolves of both kinds, a former kanima, two hunters, a witch with an amazing connection to death, a human with earthly connections, and you.”  
“You sound impressed.”  
“I am. It takes a strong alpha to hold together that many species in a pack.”  
“It helps that we’re all best friends and would die for each other anyways. Derek doesn’t have all that much work. I do most of the peacekeeping anyway so it’s all good.”  
She smiled. “I’ve missed hearing you talk.”  
I smiled back. “Missed you listening.”  
She laughed and raised her hand to trace along mine, which was hanging over her shoulder. “What’s going on between you and Derek? His scent was all over you.”  
“We’re good friends. We hated each other at first but we came to realize that we made an alright team and became sort of friends. Being pack brought us closer. He’s a good alpha.”  
She nodded, not saying anything.  
We sat in silence for a bit and it wasn’t uncomfortable. Instead of like with everyone else, I felt no need to fill the silence. It’s calming to be with her. Then she sighed.  
“I guess it’s my turn now.” She whispered.  
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” I whispered back, turning to press my lips to her head. “I won’t push.”  
I could feel her smile. “It’s fine. It’s just not something I like talking about. But I think it’s time. At least for some of it.”  
I nodded. “Alright. And the rest?”  
“As needed?” She asked.  
I nodded again. “Sounds good.”  
She took a deep breath. “Alright. One, it wasn’t my choice to leave. I didn’t want to and I’ve missed you every single day for the past eight years, but I had to go. Two, before we go further I think you should know that I’m not a werewolf.”  
“Then what are you?”  
She hesitated before speaking. “I can’t tell you Stiles.”  
“Why not?”  
“Soon after we left, mom died. She was killed. The police ruled it suicide but I knew different. I started getting more in depth into this world but I don’t have a name for what I am. The closest I can get is ‘Blessed Child’. I have heightened senses and I can make a single flower bloom when I concentrate. And that’s at my strongest. I’m not human. But I’m not dangerous or powerful in any way. I have no powers worth mentioning other than the increased senses. And as for your pack they can know my mother was killed by a rabid omega wolf and I was dragged into this life, but not about what I’ve done after that. And neither can you. I can’t talk about it. I’m not ready yet. Okay?”  
I sighed. “Alright, I’m not going to push you. But our past is still the same right?”  
She nodded. “I wouldn’t change a single second of that time Stiles. We’re not lying about it.”  
I smiled and nodded. “Good.”  
We were silent again for a moment before she spoke again.  
“Stiles?” She asked.  
“Hm?”  
“How old are you now?”  
“17. 18 next year in April.”  
“The 8th right?”  
“Mhmm.”  
“Cool. I’ll have to get you something soon for missing your sixteenth though.”  
“You don’t have to.”  
“Yes I do. I want to Stiles. I need to.”  
I sighed. “Fine. But nothing fancy. And I get to buy you something for your eighteenth as I know that was last month.”  
She turned and hugged me. “Deal. Now let’s order pizza I’m starving.” She scrambled off the bed and went downstairs, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders as she went.  
I laughed and got up, grabbing my phone off the sidetable to check it. I had a message from Derek from not long ago.  
 _From: Sourwolf_  
 _Can I come over? I want to take a look at the book Deaton gave you._

I sighed and went downstairs. “Hey Sam?” I asked, walking into the kitchen.  
“Yea?” She asked, turning to me with the pizza place menu in her hand.  
“The alpha, Derek, he wants to come over and look at a book of mine. Is that alright?”  
“The one about the druids?”  
I nodded.  
“Sure. And I can probably answer anything that’s not in there. I learned about them when I was gone.”  
I smiled. “Course you did.”  
She shrugged. “I told you, I got dragged into this life. And besides, when you live in this world, it’s good to know what’s out there.”  
I nodded. “That’s for sure. So it’s alright if he comes over? Like he won’t smell that you’re not human and try to kill you?”  
“I smell like a human Stiles, even if I’m not one.” She said, smiling up at me before looking at the menu. “Can we get a meat lovers?”  
I laughed. “Yea. I’ll order in a minute.”  
“God I love you.” She said before going into the living room.  
I rolled my eyes and responded to Derek.  
 _To: Sourwolf_  
 _Yea its fine but use the door_

_From: Sourwolf_  
 _On my way then._

I read the text and then called them pizza place, ordering two meatlovers pizza and a veggie pizza.  
“Did you have to order a veggie one?” Sam complained as I walked in.  
I rolled my eyes. “Yes because my dad needs something here when he gets home and I know neither you nor Derek will eat all of that pizza.”  
She stuck her tongue out at me. I responded the same before walking over. She automatically sat up so I could sit on the couch before she laid back down, putting her head in my lap.  
“So Lydia?” She said.  
“Shut up.” I responded.  
“Come on. What’s it about?”  
“I’m over her.” I answered. “Figured she’s not perfect and I don’t need perfection. I need someone who can love me back and Lydia can’t. So I got over her.”  
She laughed and reached out grab my hand and held it above her face. “What happened to the sweet, soft little hands I left you with?” She whispered.  
I smiled. “Worked away by lacrosse and being in the woods and running with wolves.”  
She sighed. “I liked your hands.”  
“And now?”  
“Now I like them more.” She said grinning before kissing the back of my hand, intertwining her fingers with it, and letting them fall back down onto her stomach.  
I laughed. “You’re weird.”  
“Where the hell do you think you got it from boy?”  
That made me laugh and then there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?!” I called.  
“It’s me Stiles open the damn door!” Derek shouted back.  
“It’s open!” I shouted back. Then I looked down at Sam. “Behave.”  
She smirked. “No promises.”


	4. Derek meets her

Derek’s POV

I pulled up to Stiles’s house and was instantly listening for his heartbeat. I could hear him laughing as I walked up to the door and knocked.

“Who is it?!” Stiles’s voice came from inside.

“It’s me Stiles open the damn door!” I shouted back.

“It’s open!” He shouted back. As I reached for the doorknob I heard him speak again, probably to the other person as it was low, so I wouldn’t hear if I wasn’t a wolf. “Behave.” He hissed.

“No promises.” A girl’s voice said. A girl? Didn’t he say he was going to hang out with an old friend? Since when is he friends with a girl? I shook off the protective alpha wolf instincts and went inside, keeping myself calm with ease of practice. I hesitated at the door, slightly shocked by the sight. Stiles was on the other end of the couch while there was a beautiful girl sprawled across the couch with her head in his lap. Their hands were together and resting on her stomach while her other hand was holding the remote and pointing at the TV and his other arm was on the armrest.

He noticed my hesitation and smiled at me. “The book Deaton gave me and some others I thought might help are upstairs in my room. I’ll go get it.” He moved to get up, poking her head to make the girl move.

She just made a playful snap at his finger and looked back at the TV. He looked at me pleadingly.

I forced a small smile, trying to ignore the huge wafts of affection rolling off both of them. “It’s fine. I can get it. It’s on your desk?”

He nodded. “Yea right on top. Thanks.”

I nodded and walked stiffly upstairs, stopping on the stairs to clear my senses of the affection. Then I continued up and opened his door. I almost threw up at the overwhelming smell. It smelled like him and that girl downstairs and there was so much affection and love in the room it was suffocating. What did they do in here to make that smell? The only time I’ve ever smelt it this strong was with mom and dad and…no. I refuse to accept that as the answer. It must be something else. I could hear the two of them downstairs, but they weren’t talking, just watching the TV but their heartbeats were slow and steady, they were calm and comfortable together in silence. I grabbed the books of his desk and escaped back downstairs, away from the affection filling the room.

I carried them into the living room and sat in the armchair, stiff and uncomfortable, trying not to smell the affection. I glanced at the girl and saw she was watching me. I expected her to look away but she didn’t. She just looked curious.

“What?” I snapped.

Stiles attention snapped to us. Then he flicked her head. “I said behave.”

She rolled her eyes and looked at him, challenging him to flick her again.

“It’s fine Stiles.” I said, forcing my voice to be steady. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this friend before.”

He grinned. “Right! Derek this is Sam. Sam this is Derek.”

She nodded. “If this boy gets hurt doing something for your pack, I will make your death slow and agonizing.” She declared. Her heartbeat was steady. She wasn’t lying.

I nodded. “Nice to meet you Sam. How did you meet Stiles?”

“We grew up together.” Stiles answered happily. “Our dads worked together at the station when she was little. We met in the station. We used to run around together, wrecking havoc. She helped me through my mom’s death when were nine. She moved away about eight years ago when her dad was killed on the job and her mom couldn’t stay here. Too many memories.”

I noticed her smiling slightly but ignored it. “And now she’s back.”

He grinned. “Yup!”

I nodded slowly and looked at her. “Welcome back to Beacon Hills.”

There was a knock at the door and she stood up again. “You don’t have to pretend to like me, wolf. I can smell that you don’t.” She said smirking before going to answer the door.

I looked at Stiles, shocked he shared my secret. The secret he kept from his father, someone he hates lying to, in order to protect the pack.

He held out a hand. “I didn’t tell her. She already knew about wolves. She smelled you and the others on me.”

“He didn’t tell me anything right away.” Sam said, walking in with three pizza boxes and setting them on the coffee table. “Until I told him I knew about this world. Then he told me everything.” She said plopping back down next to him, a bit close for my comfort, and started eating.

“What are you?” I asked.

“I’m Sam.” She answered.

“What are you?” I insisted.

“You don’t need to know.”

“I am the alpha of this pack. I need to know.”

“I’m not a danger to your pack. All I have worth noting is increased senses. The most powerful I can do is make a plant bloom when I need it to. And only a single plant at once. I’m not powerful enough to be a threat to your pack. I live a human life and I plan to keep it that way.” Her voice had dropped into almost a growl.

I stared her down for a moment and looked at Stiles. He was watching me as if daring me to kick her out of town. I know that face. That’s his ‘I’m an idiot deal with it’ face. “She doesn’t come to the Pack House.” I conceded.

She gave a shrug of acceptance.

Stiles noticed it and nodded to me. “Deal. But I’m hanging out with her when I want. You can’t stop me. She’ll hurt you if you try to. And I’m not lying to her. She gets to know everything.”

 “Fine.” I said. “What about my pack? I doubt you want them knowing.”

“Hell no.” Sam answered. “As far as anyone else is concerned I found out about this world when I was twelve and my mother was killed by a rogue and rabid omega werewolf and I tracked him for the next month before killing him. And that’s the truth. But not the whole truth.”

I thought for a moment. “Why should I lie to my pack?”

“Because otherwise there are questions that you don’t want answers to Derek Hale.” She said, her voice low and threatening again. “Because otherwise they will ask how I killed him and that’s not something anyone can know without having nightmares. I’m not telling them.” Then her voice dropped so low only I could hear it and not Stiles, who was right next to her. “And if you do, I leave. And we both know how me leaving again would affect the boy sitting next to me. Your pack would fall apart with him. So don’t push me Derek. Or I will snap back.”

I clenched my jaw. “Fine. Now let’s get to work. We don’t know if that girl is dangerous or not.”

“The druid you saw?” Sam said. “She probably isn’t a threat.”

I looked at Stiles. “You told her?”

He smiled and shrugged. “I said she gets to know everything.”

I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off.

“Besides, she knows about this world since she was little and she’s like me, curious to a fault. She might be able to answer our questions.”

“Can she tell us what they’re called?” I asked.

“Yes.” Sam answered. “And I’ll tell you, after I eat my pizza and watch the latest episode of Doctor Who. I missed it when it aired.”

I sighed. “Fine.” I reached out and grabbed a book, the one Deaton gave Stiles, and sat back, trying to pull it open. “Stiles?”

“Yea?” He asked, throwing an arm around Sam as she sat back with a pizza box in her lap. He stole a piece and looked at me. “What’s wrong?”

“It won’t open.”

“Of course it won’t.” Sam answered. “Who’d you get it from?”

“Deaton.” Stiles answered.

“And who did he hand it to?”

“Me.”

“That’s why it won’t open for Derek. There’s a spell on it so no one but the person the Guardian handed it to can open it and read its words.”

“So this is useless for me?” I asked.

She smiled. “Pretty much.”

I sighed and put it near Stiles, grabbing the other pizza box, meatlovers good choice, and sat back. “Why the hell did I come back?” I whispered, knowing Stiles wouldn’t hear me. And I don’t care if that girl does so it’s fine. I ate my pizza and paid half attention to the TV, letting the rest of my mind wander off.

 

Stiles’s POV

Once Sam was done with her episode, and the pizza was long gone, the three of us sat up, Sam and I still on the couch and Derek in the chair, and Derek and I grabbed books. Sam moved so her back was against the other arm and her feet stretched out to touch my legs.

“So what do you know about her already?” Sam asked.

“Damn good with swords.” I answered. “Didn’t leave a scent behind. And the symbol on the swords she was forced to leave behind in the monsters sockets is of a fighting race of druids that Deaton doesn’t know much about. And for some reason both Derek and Peter recognized it and still can’t place.” I looked at Derek. “Right?”

Derek nodded silently, skimming through a book already.

“What was the symbol?”

I lunged forward and grabbed the piece of paper stuck between two books. I’d drawn the symbol on it so I had it for reference. I held it out to her and she took it. She glanced at it and nodded slowly.

“I recognize it. But it could be the symbol of any number of paths.”

“Paths?” I asked.

“What you refer to as races, Druids refer to as paths.” She answered. “At the age of eleven a druid child choses their path that they will follow for the rest of their life. The child of two druids in one path could easily choose to follow a different one. And two Druids from separate paths could fall in love and have a child who joins a different one. Druid is one main race, not a bunch of separate ones. The only thing that separates them is their choice of path.” She explained. “This isn’t a symbol of a path though. It’s of a family. Deaton said it was from a fighting race of Druids because for generations members of that family chose a fighting path. In fact they started their own and their symbol became the symbol of the path they forged. But any member of that family could handle these swords and that could be a member of any path.”

“So it’s nothing?” Derek asked.

“No. In fact it is something quite big. Only a member of that family or someone who follows the path that they lead could wield those swords without bringing the wrath of those who are down on them. You’re looking for one of them.”

“Do you know the path?” I asked. “Like what they do and all that?”

“Not very well. The information I have on druids is all from a few that I befriended around the time mom died. They could only tell me of their paths but everyone is told the basics of each path so they may choose the path they want to follow. This path is quite simple apparently. Defend humankind from the monsters in the dark and never be seen by the humans they protect. I can’t tell you anything more than that though. They knew nothing else as none of them were a part of that path.”

I sighed. “That’s alright. There might be something in these books.”

She nodded and moved around a bit, getting comfortable and leaning her head against the back of the couch. “Sorry I can’t help more than that.”

I smiled. “It’s fine. We know more than we did before you helped us.”

She smiled slightly. “I’m going to take a nap. Wake me if you need anything.”

I nodded and set my hand on her ankle, rubbing my thumb in the soft flesh just under the bone. I saw the soft, sleepy smile on her face she always wears when I do this. Her foot rotated slightly, moving under my thumb to where she wanted it to rub. I felt her muscles relax as she fell asleep.

“She knows a lot about Druids.” Derek observed.

“Like she said, she befriended some.” I said shrugging. “Besides, we were best friends growing up. Where do think I got my thirst for knowledge? She was always reading when we weren’t running around. She loved knowledge.”

He didn’t respond, just went back to his reading.

I sighed. “You don’t trust her.” It wasn’t a question.

He looked up at me. “You and her reek of affection.”

“That wasn’t an answer.”

“I can’t smell any member of the pack in her besides you and your smell is mixed with hers and there’s so much affection between you and someone who isn’t pack and it’s overwhelming everything else in here. It’s not…comfortable for me.”

“Because it doesn’t smell like pack here and a member of your pack smells so much like someone who’s not.”

He nodded.

“Sorry. I mean Scott will probably want to see her as well so we’ll probably hang out tomorrow. Just the three of us. Like old times.”

He nodded stiffly.

I remembered what Sam had said the reason for her being back was. “Derek?”

“What Stiles?” He sounded annoyed with me.

“Have you seen a medallion on the preserve? Iron with an intricate design on it?”

“Why?”

I thought quick and answered, keeping my heart rate even as I did so. I’d gotten quite good at lying to the wolves. “Sam and I were talking earlier about. She said that may be why the girl’s here. Something about it being a relic or something.”

He sighed. “I haven’t but I’ll check with the pack. We already have her swords but maybe that medallion can be used as well to negotiate her leaving town.”

I nodded. “Sounds good.”

He didn’t say anything else and we fell back into silence as we read through the books.


	5. A Place to Live

3rd Person POV

A couple hours later Sam woke up again and Derek was gone. He left after they didn’t find anything else. Now Stiles was reading the book Deaton gave him as it wouldn’t show him the words when Derek was in the room.

“Find anything?” She whispered.

He shook his head. “All I can find out is about the family and its history. All about its ancestry and what path each member took before one couple decided to start their own and almost every member after that has chosen to follow their created path. There’s not even a name just a title.”

“What is it?”

“Allujah.”

“You pronounced it wrong.” She whispered. “It’s Ah-Lu-Ah. Not All-u-ja.”

“How do you know?”

“It means Secret in the language of the druids. The family name won’t be in there as it’s a book for humans to read. They’d never give their name to humans. They used that as their name because that’s what they are. Secret. As for the path, well it's called the path of Allujah.”

“So I still have nothing.” Stiles said sighing and throwing my head back, frustrated beyond belief. “Why can’t we just get a break here?”

Sam laughed. “These are Druids Stiles. The most secretive of people. You can’t expect to learn things about them easily.”

He sighed again, this time sounding resigned. “I know but it’s hard. She saved my life and I just want to know why.”

Sam smiled and lunged forward to cuddle against Stiles again. “Because she probably saw what I see.”

“And what’s that?”

“An idiotic boy who’s over had because he’s loyal to a fault and too stupid to know when to back off.”

Stiles laughed and squeezed her tight. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“You should.” She said, sounding sincere.

He rolled his eyes and looked down at the book. “How come with Derek here I can’t see the words but you’re right here and I can read them fine?”

She smiled and looked at him. “I don’t know. Probably something to do with what I am. It probably recognizes me as a non-threat.”

“And Derek as a threat?”

“Derek is always a threat Stiles.” She answered. “To a lot of people.”

“But not to you.” Stiles insisted. He knew they had to get along or Derek might ban him from seeing her. “He is not a threat to you.”

She smiled softly. “I know.”

“But you can’t trust him.” Stiles wasn’t saying it as a question, he already knew.

She nodded against his shoulder. “I have trust issues Sti, you know that.”

He chuckled. “I know. But at least promise me you’ll give him a chance. He’s saved my life you know.”

“And for that I am grateful. But he is also the reason you have almost died on multiple occasions when saving him.”

“As you pointed out those were kind of due to me being ‘loyal to a fault and too stupid to know when to back off’.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sometimes I hate you.”

“And the rest of the time you fricking love me so be quiet.”

She elbowed him in the side. He elbowed back and soon enough they were rolling off the couch and onto the floor, playfully wrestling. Soon Sam had Stiles pinned, sitting on his abdomen, holding his arms in front of her.

“Still can’t wrestle.” She said through her laughter.

Stiles laughed and stuck his tongue out at her. “Unfair.”

She laughed, letting go of his hands and pulling her dirty blonde hair over one shoulder so that it wasn’t hanging over Stiles’s face as she sat back. Stiles reached out and grabbed it, a soft smile appearing on his face.

“What?” She asked.

“Still just as long and soft as it was when you left.”

She laughed. “Still have an obsession with my hair.”

He stuck his tongue out again and pushed her off him. She laid down next to him the same way they’d been lying on the bed early except know his hand was tangled in her hair.

“What should we do with Scott tomorrow?” Stiles asked.

She shrugged. “Text him and ask him. But don’t mention me. I wanna see his face like I did with you.”

Stiles rolled his eyes but pulled his phone from his pocket and messaged Scott.

_To: Scott_

_We r hangin out tom. U hav no choice_

_From: Scott_

_Y? whats up?_

_To: Scott_

_Cuz we r._

_From: Scott_

_I was going to see Allison tom._

_To: Scott_

_U can c her later. But we r hangin out tom._

_From: Scott_

_Fine but u better hav a good reason_

_To: Scott_

_U’ll be happy_

_From: Scott_

_Whatevr. Whre am I meeting u?_

 

“He’s in.” Stiles declared. “Where are we meeting him?”

“Mo’s.” She said. “We can get food and milkshakes for lunch and then decide what to do with the rest of the day.”

Stiles nodded and told Scott.

_To: Scott_

_Mo’s @ noon_

_From: Scott_

_I’ll be ther_

 

“He’ll meet us there.”

“Good. Now let’s get off the floor before you start complaining about your back and go make dinner. Your dad’ll be home soon and Derek ate most of the veggie pizza.”

Stiles sighed. “He eats too much.”

“He’s a wolf. And besides, you know I eat more.”

He nodded, acknowledging Sam’s stomach size. “And we’re making something healthy, so don’t even think about complaining.”

She sighed. “Fine. But it better taste good.”

 

When the Sheriff got home he found the two of them in the kitchen, laughing and finishing dinner.

“Hey dad!” Stiles greeted.

“Evenin’ Sheriff!” Sam greeted.

He smiled at the both of them. “Smells good.”

“It’s casserole.” Stiles declared. “And it’s almost done so go wash up.”

The Sheriff nodded and went to wash up. When it came to the kitchen and dinner, Stiles was in charge. He came back a minute later to find the food laid out on the table and Stiles and Sam washing their hands at the sink. He flashed a smile as he sat down.

“It’s good to have you around again Sam.” He said.

They both smiled as they walked over and took their places at the table.

“It’s good to be home Sheriff.”

“I believe I told you to call me John.”

“And I believe I told you I’d try but not to take it bad. You’re still like an uncle to me.”

The Sheriff smiled. “So where are you staying?”

She shrugged. “I’m still working on finding a flat so I was just planning on checking into a motel or something till I do.”

“Nonsense!” The Sheriff said. “We have an extra room and you are going to stay here as long as you need to.”

She smiled. “I could never impose upon you guys. You did enough helping mom and I after everything with dad.”

“You’re staying here and that’s final Sam.” The Sheriff declared.

Sam sighed. “Alright. I’ll go get my stuff after dinner then I guess.”

He nodded. “Good. Now that that’s settled, let’s eat.”


	6. Scott finds out

3rd Person POV

The next morning the Sheriff finds both of them in Stiles’s bed. Well more on it actually. They’d fallen asleep talking like when they were little and had fallen asleep fully clothed on top of Stiles’s bed. He just rolled his eyes and knocked on the door.

“Time to get up you two.” He said. “I’ve got to go to work and you’re meeting Scott in a couple hours.”

Sam sat up as well as se could with Stiles lying on top of her and looked at the Sheriff, wide awake and smiling. “Help me with your son then?”

The Sheriff laughed and walked over. He set his hand on his sons shoulder. “Stiles! I’m having bacon for breakfast!” He said loudly.

Stiles shot up, flailing. “Don’t you dare!” He shouted, still half asleep.

Sam and the Sheriff laughed.

“I call first shower.” Sam said, sliding from the bed. “Then I expect you to take one Stiles as you haven’t in a while and you stink.” She left the room, grabbing a small bag from the floor as she headed for the bathroom.

Sheriff looked at his son, who was finally almost awake. “She’s right. You stink.” Then he turned and left the room.

Stiles just sighed and fell back onto his bed, trying to figure out when this became his life.

 

Almost two hours later they were on their way to the diner. In Sam’s car.

“I cannot believe you have a 1967 Chevy Impala.” Stiles said again as they walked out to the car.

Sam smiled. He’d freaked last night when he’d drove her to the motel to get her stuff and she went to it to bring it back to his house. “I know. It’s awesome and she’s my baby. So scratch her and die.”

“Can I drive?” Stiles asked.

“Hell no.”

“Someday?”

“We’ll see.”

He shrugged, figuring that was the best he’s gonna get, and get into the passenger seat. Sam slid into the driver’s seat and took a deep breath through her nose.

“Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“That sniff thing. You did it last night to when you got in. I noticed it.”

She smiled. “I like the smile of my car. Deal with it.”

He laughed and settled into the seat as Sam started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

 

When they finally got to the diner, Stiles insisted they take the long way so he could enjoy the car some more, they pulled into a spot and Stiles looked at Sam. “Is Scott here yet?”

She shook her head. “Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.”

“You better fricking believe it.”

Stiles laughed, rolling his eyes as they got out and went inside. They grabbed a booth, Stiles facing the door and Sam with her back to it. A waiter came over and smiled at Stiles.

“Good to see you again Stiles, is this your girlfriend?” He asked.

Sam snorted and Stiles kicked her leg under the table.

“No she’s an old friend of mine.”

“Well she is quite beautiful.” Now that he knew she wasn’t Stiles’s, he was leering down at her, trying to see down the looseish shirt.

“I’ll have a coffee and the big breakfast platter.” Sam said. “Stiles?”

“Same.”

He nodded and walked away, giving her another glance. She looked at Stiles, an eyebrow raised in a question.

“The pack eats here a lot.” Stiles explained. “And he used to do that to Lydia, Erica, and Allison to. Until they made him stop. Still does it to everyone else though.”

She sighed. “Perverted bastard.”

He nodded. “But there’s amazing food here.”

She smiled. “Priorities.”

“Exactly!” Her head shot towards the window and she smiled. “I hear Scott.”

She ducked down to hide herself from the door as Stiles looked up and saw Scott come in. Scott saw his best friend and walked over.

“What’s this about then?” He asked.

Stiles smiled and gestured to Sam.

Scott looked at her and his jaw dropped. “Sam?” He asked, shocked to see her again.

She smiled and then wrinkled her nose. “You get to sit by Stiles you reek of sex.”

He just stood there, still in shock. “You’re back.” He whispered.

“Yes I’m back now sit down and get out of our waiters way so he can give us our food.”

Scott still didn’t move and the waiter was behind him getting more pissed by the second. Stiles sighed and grabbed Scott’s arm, pulling him down into the bench. The waiter set the food down, still trying to see down her shirt, and then stood up, smiling creepily. “Do you need anything else gorgeous?” He asked, leering.

That seemed to snap Scott out of his shock as he let loose a protective growl at someone trying to flirt with someone who was basically his sister. The guy instantly pulled back and went away.

“I’m going to rip his throat out someday.” Scott growled, his eyes starting to glow.

Sam reached across the table and put her hand on Scott’s. “Stop.” She said calmly. “Or someone will see.”

Scott’s eyes instantly went to normal and he stared at her. “How are you back? Why are you back?”

“I needed to come home.” She said. “And sorry Stiles didn’t tell you about me, I wanted to see your face.”

He smiled softly. “It’s fine. Just…um…did he um?”

“I know about your bite Scott. Kind of made it obvious with the whole eye thing if I didn’t already know. And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not freaking out. I’m a part of this world to and I’m glad I finally have someone to share it with, even if it’s you two, who I never wanted to see in danger.”

He seemed shocked again. “You’re a part of-how?”

She smiled. “That’s for another time when there aren’t people around. For now, let Stiles and I eat and the three of us can catch up and go hang out. Oh, and why do you smell like sex?”

“According to Isaac he always smells like sex.” Stiles said. “Kinda why I didn’t care when you said he was sitting by me because of it.”

“No but this is stronger. Fresh.”

Stiles looked at Scott. “You were at her house this morning, weren’t you?”

Scott blushed and looked ashamed.

Stiles sighed. “Dude! This is our day! I told you that!”

“You didn’t need me till noon and I couldn’t wait to see her!”

“You saw her yesterday! And the day before that! And every day for the past two months of summer!”

Sam just watched in amusement and ate her lunch as her two best friends bickered.

“So what are we doing today?” Scott asked, stealing a piece of toast from Stiles’s plate and putting an easy end to their bickering.

Sam shrugged. “I don’t really care. Whatever I guess.”

“Well the pack’s all going ice skating in a few hours, we could go to that.” Scott suggested.

“Sure it’ll be alright with your alpha for me to be around the pack?”

“Yea he’ll deal with it.” Stiles answered. “But what are we doing in the meantime?”

“Movie?” Scott suggested.

“Hell no.” Sam shot it down. “I’m not sitting in a dark movie theater for two hours when we could be talking and catching up.”

“We could go the park.” Stiles said.

Again Sam shook her head. “Can we go to the mall? I need to get a feel for what they have so I can get Stiles’s birthday present.”

“His birthday isn’t for another like eight months.” Scott said.

“She’s making up for missing my sweet sixteen.” Stiles explained.

Scott looked at her. “And what about me?!”

“You too.” She said, rolling her eyes. “So good with you two?”

They nodded and they fell into an easy conversation. Which somehow ended up with them telling them everything they’d told Derek the day before about why Sam was around and what she is. Scott was a little insulted at first that his best friend growing up had been lying to him but when Stiles reminded them how long they kept the secret of werewolves from their parents he conceded and relaxed again.

When they were done eating, they slid out of the booth and Sam tossed a few bills onto the table and threw a penny into her empty coffee cup. Then they left. Scott stopped again when he saw which car they were going towards.

“Please tell me that beauty’s yours.” He said.

Sam smiled at him. “Hells yea.”

Scott sighed and hurried over, running his hands along it. “I cannot believe _this_ is your car!”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Get in or I’m leaving you here.” She declared, getting in herself. Both boys clambered in, Stiles up front and Scott in the back.

“What was with the penny in a cup thing?” Scott asked.

“In some places if you throw a penny in a cup it means that the service was horrible.” Stiles explained quickly. “Sam did it because of how he hit on her.”

“Seriously?” Scott asked.

Sam nodded. “Yes now move over to Stiles’s side of the car so I don’t have to smell so much freaking sex in my car.”

Scott laughed and did as he was told. They pulled up to the mall and got out.

“You’re not going to be as bad as Lydia, are you?” Stiles asked.

Sam laughed. “Guess you’ll have to see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to hear what you guys think of this! Comments are greatly appreciated!


	7. Meeting The Pack

Scott’s POV

A couple hours later we had one bag between the three of us and had managed to be chased out of both Macy’s and Target. We were still laughing as we headed towards the car.

“Can we swing by my house so I can grab some thicker clothes?” I asked Sam.

“And mine?” Stiles added.

She sighed. “Fine. Get in. She threw the bag, with the one sweatshirt she’d bought inside, into the back of the car and we all climbed in. We pulled into my house first and I ran inside, changing from shorts to pants and a long sleeve shirt instead of my thin t-shirt. Werewolves don’t get cold easily but it’s still chilly in the rink. When I ran back outside and got back into the car my nose wrinkled at the smell filling it. I’d never been able to distinguish between emotions like Derek, Isaac, Peter, and Boyd could. Not that I mind as then it isn’t completely and utterly awful to be in the locker room after lacrosse practice. Sam pulled away and we drove the short distance to Stiles’s house and we scrambled from the car, running inside. Sam turned in her seat and looked at me.

“When were you bitten again?”

“Sophomore year.” I answered.

She nodded. “Almost two years in.”

He nodded.

She smiled. “Good. Means you’re in control of your wolf.”

“Most of the time.”

She looked confused. “Most of the time?”

“If someone threatens Stiles or Allison I tend to get a little out of control. But only then really.”

She nodded slowly. “You should get that part under control to.”

I sighed. “I know. And I will. It’s hard though. Derek says I’m too protective.”

“I agree. Being protective is great and all, but sometimes you just need to dial it back a bit.”

I nodded. “I’m trying.”

She smiled. “I’ll let you in on a secret. So am I.”

I smiled and we both looked up as Stiles came back out of the house, now in jeans and his traditional plaid button up with undershirt underneath and a sweatshirt thrown over his arm. He got in and looked at us. “Go!”

Sam rolled her eyes and turned back around, taking the car out of park and sending us on our way to the rink.

 

When we pulled up and got out, there was a smile on Sam’s face as she looked up at the building.

“What’s got you so smiley?” I asked.

She turned to me. “It’s just good to be home.”

I laughed. “Yea and soon it’ll be because I still can’t skate.”

“It’s true.” Stiles said, walking up. “He’s awful.”

I pushed his shoulder and the three of us went inside, laughing and carefree. As if she’d never left.

 

3rd Person POV (because Scott’s blind and deaf when around Allison and I’m not good with coupley things)

Allison ran up when she spotted them walk in. She was barefoot and her shoes and a pair of skates were sitting where she’d just been. She threw her arms around Scott and they kissed happily before she led him back over to her skates so they could change.

Stiles looked at Sam. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’d never survive without you.”

She laughed and they sat down as well to change into their skates.

“Thought you said your pack was coming?” She asked him as she finished and he was starting lacing his second skate. “And why is no one else here?”

Stiles nodded. “They’re just late. As usual. And Jackson, forced by Lydia of course, rented it for a few hours so it’s just the pack tonight.” He finished lacing up his second skate and grinned in triumph. “Come on!” He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the ice.

Sam laughed and let him lead her onto the ice. Then he let go and gestured to the expanse of ice. “Come on. Show me if you’ve still got it.”

Sam laughed and again and rolled her eyes before pushing off and skating out onto the ice. She picked up speed before launching into the air and spinning around. She landed easily and laughed freely as she felt the exhilaration of being on the ice again. Stiles watched her intently, a grin on his face, only looking away when Scott and Allison came up behind him.

“She’s amazing.” Allison commented.

“Yea. Did Scott?”

“Yea. It’s all good. I won’t tell my dad.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

She nodded. “Least I can do. Now why don’t you go skate with her while I try, once again, to teach my werewolf boyfriend how to skate?”

Stiles laughed and easily pushed off, heading towards where Sam was just landing from a spin. She grinned when she saw him and slowed down, stopping when she got to him. “What’s up?” Then she glanced over her shoulder. “Wow. How is he still _that_ bad?”

Stiles looked and saw Scott awkwardly standing on the life, his butt stuck out like an idiot while he clutched to Allison’s hands. He laughed and shrugged. “He’ll get there eventually.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Still remember any of our tricks?”

Stiles shook his head. “Wish I did though.”

Sam chuckled. “Yea. Well that’s alright. You can check my spin count. I’m trying to get five full revolutions in.”

“I can count that high.”

“I’d certainly hope so.”

And that’s how the pack found them when they came in about ten minutes later. Scott still clinging to Allison and Stiles watching Sam launch herself into the air and spin around. They clomped down the bleachers, announcing their presence to the humans, and all four of them looked over. Allison turned Scott and pushed him towards the pack, speeding up the process of getting him there, and knocking him over but that’s irrelevant. Stiles skated over and Sam just kept skating, but she was listening.

“Who’s she?” Jackson asked, looking at her. “Told you this was just pack Stilinski.”

“Shut up Jackson.” Stiles answered. “She’s cool. And knows about us all so we’re still free to do whatever.”

“She knows?” Isaac asked. “But she smells human.”

“She is.” Stiles said, easily lying. Well not easily as he hates lying to his pack but it had to be done so it was. “But she knows about the world we deal with.”

“And how is that?” Erica asked. “How does she know?”

Stiles didn’t have to look over his shoulder to know she was skating up behind him. He didn’t jump when she placed a hand on the small of his back to steady her stop. “If you have a question, ask it to my face at least.” She said smiling.

“How do you know about this world?” Isaac asked.

“And why are you here?” Jackson asked.

She smiled. “When I was twelve years old I came home from a friend’s house to find my mother, dead, and torn to shreds in our kitchen. The police called it an animal attack, but I thought different. I went digging and found this world of monsters. For the next month I tracked that bastard back to his den in the woods near my house and I killed him. After that, I found out everything I could about this world. I know more than all of you combined and it’s perfectly memorized and organized in my head.” Then she looked at Jackson. “And as for why I’m here, it’s because this is my home. I grew up in Beacon Hills.”

“I don’t remember you.” Jackson sneered.

“You don’t remember over half the people in this town Jackson. I left when I was ten because my dad was killed working for the cops and my mother couldn’t stand to be here anymore. There were too many memories here. I came home because I missed this place and my two best friends.” She turned away and then looked over her shoulder as an afterthought. “Oh. And if you were half as attractive as you think you are you’d be twice as attractive as you actually are.” The she skated away again, flipping the whole pack the bird as she did so.

Isaac looked at Stiles. “She seems cool.”

Stiles just laughed and looked at Scott, who was lying on the ice. “Why don’t you ask Sam to try and help you learn to skate again? That why you can at least let go of Allison’s arms.”

He nodded and looked at Sam, who was on the ice. “SAM!” He shouted.

“What?!” She shouted back.

“Help?!”

She sighed so loud it was audible to even the humans and came back over. She held a hand out to Scott and helped him to his feet. “First, stop being stupid.” She grabbed his hips and forced them forward so his lower body was straight again. Then she grabbed his shoulders and forced them back so he was forced all the way up straight. “For christ’s sake Scott you’re a bloody werewolf, you should be able to skate.” Then she grabbed his hands and gently led him away. Allison smiled at Stiles.

“Thank you.” She said sincerely.

Stiles smiled. “Any time.” Then he looked at the pack. “Come on! Hockey isn’t going to play itself!”

They jumped back into motion, changing into skates and grabbing the sticks they’d brought. Then they all gathered on the ice and the wolves who _could_ skate set up nets and started playing hockey. They were all careful not to run into Sam and Scott, Stiles, Allison, Danny, or Lydia though. They knew better than that.

After a little while Scott could skate without clutching someone, so Allison took Sam’s place and Sam joined Stiles and Danny in skating around the rink, watching the hockey game.

“You must be Danny.” She greeted.

He smiled. “That’s me.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Good things I hope.”

“Oh yes.” She said grinning.

Danny smiled. “Glad to hear. Welcome back to Beacon Hills. And sorry about the rest of them earlier. They don’t meet new people often and tend not to trust them.”

She waved her hand, dismissing it. “It’s fine. I understand how it feels.”

Danny smiled. “Glad you’re here by the way.”

“Why’s that?”

“Now the teens are even. Five humans and five wolves. Wolves still outnumber us with Derek and Peter but the teens are even.”

Sam chuckled and ducked to side, pulling Danny with her as the puck flew past them.

“Thanks.” Danny said after accepting Jackson’s apology.

She smiled. “Anytime.” Then she looked at Stiles. “What do you think?” She whispered to Stiles.

“What?”

“Think I could take ‘em?”

“Hell yea. But they don’t let humans play. Derek’s orders. Too much risk otherwise.”

She sighed. “Maybe later then. Once they have complete control.”

At that moment Isaac came skidding across the ice in front of them and they stopped to look at him. He grunted and sat up, touching his shoulder. “Shit.” He swore as he realized it was dislocated.

“Here.” Sam said, kneeling down. “Let me.”

Isaac looked at her carefully before looking at Stiles, who nodded, smiling slightly. Then he looked at Sam again. “Alright.”

She smiled softly and reached out. He winced when she touched it. “On three.” She whispered. He nodded. “One.” She whispered before wrenching his shoulder.

He screamed and everyone on the ice stopped to look. “You said on three!” He exclaimed.

“I lied.” She said smiling. “Besides it’s easier and hurts less when you aren’t tense. And by now it’s healed so go back to your hockey game canagan and try not to get it wrenched out again.” She got to her feet, smile on her face.

Isaac slowly got to his feet and skated away, slightly confused.

“Canagan?” Stiles asked.

Sam just smiled and skated away.

 

A couple hours later the wolves were starving so they all went to Derek’s house but as Sam was banned, she sent Scott and Stiles with Jackson, after a lot of convincing for Stiles. Eventually she just had to remind him that Derek said she couldn’t be at the pack house but that he still needed to go as he is pack. She told him to call if he needed anything and then drove off again. Then Stiles sighed and looked at Scott.

“Not one word.” Was all he had said before climbing into a car and blocking out Scott’s resulting laughter. He ignored as the rest of the pack was asking Scott what that was about but Scott just told them it didn’t matter and got into the car after Stiles.

“I hate her sometimes.” He’d muttered.

Scott had just smiled. “No you don’t.”

Stiles had sighed. “Maybe not.”

Now they were all stuffed full of Derek’s food and piled up in the living room, doing some pack bonding. AKA: sitting in a circle with a pile of legs between them.

“Your friend seemed nice Stiles.” Isaac said, breaking the silence.

“She’s amazing.” Stiles declared.

“Where’d you meet?” Erica asked.

“Our dads were partners for a while when mine was still a deputy and hers was alive. Our mom's were best friends since high school. We've known each other since before we can remember. We used to hang out together at the station. She lived only a street over so Scott and I used to hang out with her all the time.”

“Our moms called us the terrible triplets.” Scott added. “Wonder how she’ll react knowing Sam’s back.”

“She was ecstatic and can’t wait to see her tomorrow.” Stiles said. “Dad told her today when he was waiting for a patient to wake up so he could question them. Then she said that we better be more law abiding now that we’re more mature.”

Scott snorted along with other members of the pack.

“Yea not so sure we can manage that.” Scott said. “If anything we’ve gotten worse.”

Stiles nodded and then smirked. “Oh and your mom wanted me to remind you that you have school in the morning and therefore shouldn’t stay up too late.”

Scott groaned. “I have to get home then. That’s her code for I have to spend the night at home because I spent Friday and Saturday here.”

“You weren’t here last night.” Isaac pointed out.

“Nope.” He said smiling and extracting himself from the leg tangle. “See you at school tomorrow or after it.” He said to everyone and looked at Isaac. “Give me a ride home?”

Isaac sighed. “Dude I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll take you.” Jackson offered. “I have to head home anyways. Need to get some sleep before work tomorrow.” He looked at Stiles. “You need one to?”

“That’d be awesome.”

Jackson sighed. “Alright. Come on.” He, Lydia, and Danny all extracted their legs and Stiles did the same before joining Scott at the door.

“See ya.” Jackson said before leaving, Scott behind him.

“Have a good night.” Lydia said waving and leaving.

“Try not to get attacked!” Stiles said cheerily and leaving.

“I better head home to.” Danny said, getting up. “Mom’ll start worrying otherwise. See you guys tomorrow.”

Erica and Boyd got up.

“We’re gonna hit the hay to. Night Isaac.”

Isaac nodded and watched his packmates leave. Then he leaned his head back against the couch he was leaning on and closed his eyes.

 

Isaac’s POV

There’s too much energy in me. I can see how the others are all tired and I wish I was to but I’m not. I don’t know why. The full moon isn’t till this weekend so t’s not the moon. I sighed and got up. I went upstairs and knocked on Derek’s door, which was slightly adjar. The house rule is that a closed door is a do not disturb sign and you don’t enter unless someone inside replies to something you’ve said. Then, no matter what they said, you get to go in. Derek rarely closes his door all the way because he doesn’t need to, we all respect him enough to give him his space.

“What is it Isaac?” Derek asked.

I pushed open the door and smiled slightly at Derek, who was laying on his bed, in sleep pants and reading a book.

“Can I go for a run?” I asked. “I’ve got to much energy and want to run some off.”

He nodded. “Alright. Be back soon though. You’ve got school tomorrow.”

I nodded and pulled out, closing the door back to it’s previous, almost closed position. Then I went to my room, changed into running clothes, and headed out to the forest. I started out on the usual, short, three mile run at an easy pace. I let my breathing relax and my mind go blank as I concentrated on the feel of the ground beneath my feet and ran through the trees. I caught a new, unfamiliar scent and altered my course to track it. I burst into a small clearing and skidded to a stop, fangs and claws coming out along with a snarl. There was a girl in blue jeans and a leather jacket with the hood pulled up and cloth over her face. All I could see were silver eyes sparkling in the nearing full moon.

“Calm down faolan.” A voice said. I could tell it was a female voice but altered by an electronic voice coder.

“Who are you?” I snarled around my teeth.

She tilted her head to the side slightly. “Why ask a question I can’t tell you the answer to?”

“Why are you here?”

She raised her hand and pointed to my right. “In the morning you’ll want to send your alpha a mile that way.”

“In the morning?” I asked. “Why not now?”

I could see the mask covering her face twitch as she smiled. “Goodnight Isaac Lahey.”

I barely had any time to be confused before I felt my body go weak and then everything went black.


	8. Surprise!

Isaac’s POV

I could hear someone calling my name but I couldn’t respond. My mouth felt like it was glued shut and my eyes were the same. I couldn’t move.

“Isaac!” I heard. I recognize that voice. Derek.

I tried even harder to move. I felt hands on my arms and someone was shaking me. I could tell it was Derek and tried even harder to tell him I was okay. I could feel the panic flooding off of him. I heard another person stumble into the clearing. I scented again and relaxed. Stiles. He’ll know what to do.

“Stiles help him!” Derek shouted.

“Give me a minute!” Stiles responded. I could hear him rustling through the bag of antidotes he carries and grabbed something out. There was an awful, burning smell under my nose and then I was free. I rolled over and threw up everything that was still in my stomach.

“That’s disgusting.” Stiles declared.

I could feel Derek’s relief and he reached out to rub a hand on my back. “Are you alright Isaac?”

I nodded and rolled back onto my back to look up at them. I raised a shaking hand and pointed where the girl the night before had.

“What?” Stiles asked.

“Need to go a mile that way.” I forced the words out through my dry throat.

“We will.” Derek said. “But we need to get you to school. You can’t miss it.”

I nodded and with the help of Derek and Stiles I managed to get to my feet. They helped me over to a pair of ATV’s they must’ve used to get out to me and I got on the back of the black one. Stiles got on the red one and slipped a helmet on. Then he and Derek started them up and we raced back to the pack house. I ran inside, finally having control of my body again, and quickly changed for school, skipping a shower because I don’t smell to bad and I don’t have time for one. Then I ran back down stairs.

“Come on.” Derek said from by his car. “Get in I’m driving you.”

I nodded and clambered into the car before Derek peeled out of the driveway and we raced the clock to get to school.

 

Derek’s POV

I pulled back into the house and got out. “Peter!” I shouted. “Get out here!”

The door opened and Peter and Stiles walked out, coming down the stairs.

“Why did you call me here nephew?”

“We need to go somewhere.” I said. I looked at Stiles. “Where’s that Sam girl?”

“My house. She’s staying with us until she finds a place.”

“Go home then.” I ordered. “I don’t want you alone in the forest and everyone else is at school or working. Stay with her until I call you.”

“So you trust her now?”

“No. But I’d rather you not be alone.” I looked at my uncle. “We’re going into the forest.”

Peter nodded. “Why?”

I looked back at Stiles. “Go!” I waited until he got in and drove off before turning to my uncle. “Let’s go.”

We tracked our scent back to the tiny clearing we’d found Isaac in not long ago and then went a mile in the direction he’d pointed. I had turn away from the sight and try not to throw up from the awful scent it was giving off.

“Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is.”

I could hear Peter’s throat working as he tried not to throw up as well. “I can but I’d be lying. It’s a boneyard.”

I turned back and looked at it. There were bones everywhere. Some were clean and obviously old whereas some were still covered in meat and fresh. There were deer, rabbits, cougars, everything. And then I saw the worst part. Near the mouth of the cave all the bones led up to there was a body propped. A human body.

“We need to call the Sheriff.” I said. “What’s the story?”

“You were taking a run like you do and took a new path. You smelled something awful and followed it here.” Peter said. “You called me here because you were distraught by the sight and didn’t want to deal with it alone.”

I nodded. “Alright.” I pulled my phone out and dialed the Sheriff.

“Derek?” He sounded worried. “Is Stiles alright?”

“He’s fine but…well…I need to report something. And it’s not good.”

 

An hour later the place was crawling with police and I was still trying not to throw up as every time they moved something it sent another waft of decomposing flesh into the air.

“Are you alright son?” The Sheriff asked, coming over.

I gave a stiff nod, trying not to breathe.

“Derek!” I heard. Danny. I turned and saw him and Lydia standing at the tape, being stopped by a cop.

I looked at the Sheriff. “I need them. I need pack.”

He nodded and waved at the deputy to let them through. They flew past him and tackled me in a hug.

“Are you alright?” Lydia asked as the stepped back to a distance appropriate for public.

I nodded and concentrated on their scent to block out the decomposing flesh behind me. “How’d you know?”

“I heard it on the radio I listen to on the way from one job to the next.” Danny said. We works on computer programming and IT stuff for businesses in town and listens to the police scanner on his way from one place to the other. “I canceled my other appointments, called Lydia, and we hauled ass over here.”

“Yea and you owe me.” Lydia added. “I was working on my summer math and was so close to figuring the equation out.”

I smiled. “Thank you Lydia. For leaving your math to come help me not throw up on this crime scene.”

She smiled and I knew all was forgiven.

“Where’s Stiles?” Danny asked. “Shouldn’t he be with you?”

“I sent him home so he wasn’t alone in the forest when I came out.”

They knew what I was saying and nodded to look at the Sheriff.

“Do you still need him Sheriff or can we get him away from this stench?” Lydia asked. “He looks like he’s about to throw up.”

The Sheriff nodded. “Take him home. We’ll come to him if we have more questions.”

I nodded and let Lydia and Danny take my arms and lead me to Danny’s car. We got in and Lydia turned around in the front seat to look at me while Danny drove.

“Spill. What happened to Isaac because I know you found him and what was that back there?”

I took a deep breath and told them everything. We don’t keep secrets within the pack anymore. Well, not dangerous ones as we’re keeping Stiles’s friend not being human from them. I finished just as we were pulling up to the house. I sighed when I saw Stiles’s jeep and him sitting on the steps. I sighed as I got out.

“Thought I told you to go home.” I said, walking over.

“I did. Sam wasn’t there. A note said she was out looking at apartments. So I came back.”

I just sighed and walked past him into the house. I went up to my room, kicked off my shoes, and fell onto the bed.

“Do you want me to shut the door?” Stiles asked from the doorway.

“No.” I grunted. “Just go away. I want to be alone right now.”

I heard his steps as he walked back downstairs and told the others what I’d said. Then I heard them all, including Peter, leave the house. I heard Peter’s car start as he left. Probably to go back to his apartment. And Stiles got in his jeep and left as well.

“Call us if you need us.” I heard Lydia say, knowing I’d hear it. Then she and Danny got back in Danny’s car and left. Leaving me alone with the stench of rotting flesh filling my nose and my mind and making me want to throw up. I rolled out of bed, went into the bathroom, and threw up the contents of my stomach. When I was done I went back to bed, feeling a little better, stripped off my sweaty, puked covered clothes, and passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow that was so short and I'm so sorry. The next one will hopefully make up for it!


	9. Pack Meeting

Derek’s POV

A few hours later I woke up to the noise of loud, noisy teenagers in my house. Shit. I was supposed to pick the pack up from school. I rolled out of bed, found some clean pants and pulled them on, and went downstairs.

“You know if you’re going to be fit at least hide it so I can keep _some_ measure of self-confidence.” Stiles said passing me on his way to the kitchen. I followed him in. “Did you pick them up?”

He nodded as he grabbed things out of the fridge. “Isaac called and said you weren’t there. I figured you forgot or were dealing with seeing a dead body partially mangled and went to get them. Oh and Lydia and Danny already made sure everyone was filled in so we’re just waiting for Scott and Isaac to get off working with Deaton and join us before we start the pack meeting. Then Lydia and Danny left to go home for a bit. They’ll stop and get chips and soda on their way back for the meeting. Now be a good alpha and get the sausage out of the fridge. Lydia requested pigs in blankets and Isaac seconded it and I can’t say no to either of their puppy dog faces so that’s what snacks are today.”

I sighed and grabbed the five packs of sausage in the fridge and threw them onto the counter by Stiles. Then I went to the living room and sat down in my arm chair, watching Erica and Boyd do their homework.

“Derek?” Erica asked, looking up.

“What?”

“Do you know anything about log functions?”

“A little.” I answered. “What’s your question?”

“What’s a log function?”

I hid a smirked as I answered. “The logarithm of a positive real number x with respect to base b, a positive real number not equal to 1, is the exponent by which b must be raised to yield x. In other words, the logarithm of x to base b is the solution y to the equation.” I rattled off the equation my math teacher made us memorize in high school.

“What?” She asked, looking hopeless.

“My math teacher made us memorize it.”

“But it didn’t make sense.”

“Don’t confuse them even more Derek.” Stiles called from the kitchen. “Erica I’ll be in in a minute I just need to put these in the oven.”

“Thank the lord for Stiles Stilinski!” Erica exclaimed.

I smile slightly and grabbed the book I’m reading off the table next to me.

“You’re still reading that?” Boyd asked. “Shouldn’t you be done by now?”

I glared at him. It’s a Game of Thrones book Stiles is making me read. Well actually the whole pack voted unanimously that I had to read it but I know Stiles was behind it. “If you guys stopped needing me to save you all the time then I’d probably be done by now.”

“Stop being a Sourwolf.” Stiles said, coming and sitting between them on the couch. “Alright. Math time.”

 

Two hours later the rest of the pack came over, Lydia and Danny returning after their trip to the store loaded with junk food, and everyone sprawled out on the furniture and floor of the living room.

“So what are we going to do?” Danny asked. “I mean I don’t know about you but that boneyard looked a lot like the job of a werewolf.”

“It was.” I confirmed. “It was definitely a werewolf.” I looked at Stiles. “Have they identified the body?”

Stiles nodded. “A hiker. Someone from Alabama I think. Came out to hike the woods and got lost. Never came out. Dad had to call her family this afternoon and tell them.” He was holding back tears of sympathy. He hates it when his dad has to do that. I watched each pack member shift towards him. Erica and Boyd, who were still on either side of him reaching out the most. Erica curled into him and Boyd put his arm around him. I smiled slightly. It’s nice to see the pack acting like a pack. Even if it’s only for Stiles, someone they’d all protect with their lives.

“Does anyone have an ideas?” I asked.

“I think we should wait it out.” Erica suggested. “We found it’s den. The full moons this Friday night and he won’t have a place to hide. We’re strong. We can take him. He’s just an omega.”

“He’s most likely rabid.” I reminded him. “Which will make stronger and more in touch with the wolf than his human. He will have no control. He will try and kill any one he meets.”

“Can’t you just like dominate him like you did with that other one that came through here?” Jackson asked.

I shook my head. “Like I said, he’s rabid. Nothing can control him.”

“Well if we can’t get any farther on that I have a question.” Isaac piped up.

“What is it?” I asked him.

He looked at Stiles. “Can you call Sam? You said she knew about Druids.”

Stiles nodded and looked to me. I nodded and he fished out his phone. “On speaker.” I said.

He nodded and put it on speaker and held it out.

“What do you want Stiles?” Sam’s voice came through the phone.

“Isaac as a question.” Stiles answered. “You’re on speaker to the whole pack so behave.”

“With wolves around you may as well be always on speaker.” Sam answered.

I smirked and saw the others doing the same. It was kinda true.

“What’s your question Isaac?”

“Did Stiles tell you what happened?”

“Yea he called me a bit ago and said you found a rabid wolf’s boneyard because the girl in the forest pointed you on the way and knocked you out till morning. Why?”

“She said something to me.” He said. “When I saw her.”

“What’d she say?”

“She said ‘Calm down faolan’. What does that mean?”

I could hear her laughing in the phone. “Faolan is a druid term meaning young wolf. It’s often used when people refer to younger siblings or cousins or pack mates younger than them. It’s sort of like what I called you at the rink. Canagan. Both mean young wolf but faolan is more familiar. Canagan can refer to any wolf younger than you whereas faolan is someone close to you. Someone you care about. I called you canagan because I’d just met you. But she called you faolan, meaning for some reason she feels close to you.”

“Are you saying that girl cares about Isaac?” Stiles asked.

“It appears that way. But I can’t tell. It’s strange. She seems attached to your pack in a way I’ve never heard of before.”

“Explain.” I ordered.

“She saved Stiles. And yes that’s her sworn oath but she revealed herself, something they’re not supposed to do. Then she found Isaac in the woods, called him faolan, and pointed him towards the boneyard. Which I doubt you’d’ve found otherwise. She wanted you to know that there’s a rabid in your territory. Stiles?”

“Yea?”

“Did you hear your dad say when he thought the girl was killed?”

“No. When?”

“Around the last full moon. Meaning he’ll kill again on this one, if he doesn’t before then. So I suggest you tell the hunters to stay out of the forest and the police to close the preserve so no one is out there on the night of the full moon. That girl showed you that place for a reason. And I don’t even want to think about what that reason might be.” Then it was almost as if she turned away from the pack to Stiles. “Stiles, when you get home there’s grilled chicken in the fridge. I got hungry and made some and there was extra. And if that’s all you need I gotta go. I’ve got one more apartment to look at and my appointments in five minutes. Text me with anything else. I gotta go. See you tonight. Probably.” With that she hung up.

Stiles looked at us. “Well, I never said she was polite.”

“What does it mean Derek?” Isaac asked. “Her calling me faolan.”

“I don’t know.” I admitted. I was kind of still in shock myself. “I have no idea what she’s doing. But it seems she’s not a threat right now. So we tell Chris about the omega but he is ours to hunt on the full moon. And until we find him, no one goes out alone. Everyone travels in at least pairs, preferably more when possible. And don’t go out in the woods at all after dark. Like I said, this thing won’t recognize any of us as anything other than something to be killed. Understand?”

The others all nodded.

“Alright. Then go home. It’s getting late and four of you still have school in the morning which I expect you all to be at. The rest of you have work to do tomorrow.”

“Not me!” Stiles exclaimed.

“You’re going to research everything you can find on druids and rabid werewolves.” I ordered. “We need to know what we’re up against.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was really short and I'm sorry but I'll probably post the next one in a couple hours because I'm avoiding doing my schoolwork and this is a welcome distraction.


	10. Full Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohmygod I am so sorry this is so late. My dog was throwing up last night and I couldn't write till today and I finished it so hre it is! Enjoy!

Derek’s POV

I pulled up to the school in the SUV I bought after the kanima incidence when the pack got too big to all fit in the Camaro. Scott, Erica, and Boyd get in back and Isaac got in front. Once they were in I pulled out again and headed towards the house. They were all celebrating as they all passed all their passes and could go into junior year with everyone else at the start of the school year instead of doing sophomore year again.

“Why the SUV?” Scott asked as they came down from their high.

I smirked. “I had to go grocery shopping.” I flashed the grocery list that I’d left on the center console. “By order of the humans.”

They laughed, knowing I meant Stiles.

“So what’s the plan for tonight?” Isaac asked. “You know with the rabid omega and the girl around.”

“We stay close to the house.” I said. “Within in a short distance of each other. We guard our own. And we protect our pack. It’s going to be just another full moon, except tonight we’ll stay closer to home.”

“What about Stiles? And Allison? And Lydia? And Danny?” Scott asked.

“They will stay at the house.” I answered.

“Lydia won’t like that.” Isaac said smirking.

“And neither will the other three but they’re more vulnerable to this thing than us. They will stay in the house tonight.”

“Good luck getting Lydia to agree to that.” Erica mumbled. I sighed. I knew I was in for a fight.

 

“You need to stay inside!” I shouted again. Lydia and I were standing in front of the house steps, arguing.

“I am not hiding inside like some damsel in distress Derek! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!”

“I know that! But this is different Lydia!”

“How Derek?! How is this different from when it was the kanima and he put me in danger on purpose to bring Jackson back?!”

“Because I care now!”

She seemed taken aback and I could feel the shock radiating from the pack as well. Shit. I shouldn’t have said that. Now I have to explain.

 

Stiles’s POV

Did Derek just say he cares about Lydia? What the fuck? Everyone around me was shocked. We were all on the porch, watching the argument unfold and it’s been going nowhere for the past hour. But now it seems to have not only taken a step but taken a leap in a direction. I’m just not sure which one.

“You what?” Lydia asked quietly.

“You’re pack Lydia. You have been for a while. Since Scott and Stiles took you in probably. Definitely since before the kanima. What you didn’t realize is that when you stepped in front of the kanima, who I’d seen in action before, I’d watched him kill, and I was terrified. I can’t lose a member of my pack. To any of the others it would be like losing a limb but to me it’d be losing a piece of myself. Something deeper than a body part. I’m the alpha and that means I’m the center of a giant web that makes up this pack. When a member is lost, or leaves, the others feel it, but through me. I get the brunt of it. I don’t want to feel that. I want to know that my pack is safe. So please, just stay here tonight.”

We were all in shock. Derek had just said please. He’d just bared his heart for us all to see and he’d said _please._ Lydia didn’t seem to know what to say so I did what I do best and spoke up to relieve the tension.

“Lydia, you just managed to do what I have never been able to do in all the times I’ve risked my life. You made the Sourwolf say please.”

Now everyone was laughing and even Derek seemed a little relieved that what he said has less weight now.

Lydia sighed. “Fine. I’ll stay here.”

Derek smiled slightly at her. “Thank you.”

She nodded. “Now go. I can practically feel the energy rolling off of all of you.”

I nodded. All the wolves were behind me and I could feel the energy of the full moon filling them, making them want to shift, need to shift.

Derek looked up at us, his eyes glowing and his fangs out. He let out a roar that all the wolves behind me instantly answered.

“Couldn’t have waited till they were past me?” I asked, annoyed and rubbing my ears.

He just grinned and turned, dropping to all fours and running into the woods. Lydia joined Allison, Danny, and I on the porch as we watched the wolves run off.

“You think they’ll be okay?” Allison asked.

I nodded. “They’ve got each other. They’ll be fine. It’s us I’m worried about. Shit always happens when they leave us alone.”

 

And an hour later my point was proven. We heard the snarl from outside the house, but it wasn’t one of our pack. None of us recognized it. The omega was here.

We all kept silent and still, trying to hide our presence.

 _‘Do you have your crossbow?’_ I asked Allison silently. She nodded and pulled it out of her bag.

There was scratching on the door and I took a deep breath. “Get ready to scream.” I whispered to Lydia, ditching the pretense of hiding. I walked into the hall from the living room where he’d been hiding and grabbed my bat, which was leaning against the door. I raised it over my shoulder and took another deep breath, calming my heart rate.

“Now Lydia!” I screamed right before the door flew open. I raced forward and tackled it away from the house. I heard Lydia’s scream and knew the wolves would be there soon. Now I just have to survive until they get here. That might be difficult.

 

3rd Person POV

The wolf threw Stiles into a tree and got to its feet. It slowly stalked over and looked down at him. He was dazed and unable to move, lying defenseless at the foot of the tree.

“Petty human.” It snarled. It eyes glowed bright blue as it raised its claws to kill him right as there was another snarl at the edge of the clearing. The wolf turned to see Derek.

“Alpha.” It snarled.

Derek twisted his neck and shifted to full beta form. “Come and get me.”

The wolf flew across the clearing to fight Derek while Scott and ask ran from the trees towards Stiles.

“You’re gonna be alright Stiles.” Scott said. “You’re gonna be alright.” They got him up and to the Camaro before Isaac turned to run into the house to see Allison on the porch, crossbow in one hand and keys in the other. She threw them at him. “Get him out!”

Isaac caught the keys easily and got in the driver’s seat, Scott getting into the passenger’s seat, and they peeled out of the driveway.

Meanwhile Derek was fighting the omega and he had been right. His rabid state of mind cut any and all ties he had to his humanity. He was stronger and faster because of that. Within a minute Derek was distracted by the rest of his pack stumbling out of the woods. And that was all the omega needed. He snarled and slammed Derek into a tree, knocking the tree down at the same time as letting go of his throat, letting the tree fall down on Derek. As he was about to deal the killing blow, a hunting horn rang through the forest. All the wolves looked up at the sound. The pack ones looked at Allison.

“It’s not me!” She exclaimed.

Just then, on the other side of the clearing, a girl appeared out of the shadows, walking up the driveway. It was the same girl that had saved Stiles and told Isaac where to go. Her face was still covered and the only difference was the horn dangling from her hand.

The omega saw her and its eyes went wide before it turned and raced into the woods.

“I am not a threat to you Derek Hale.” The girl said. Her voice was once again being altered as she spoke. “But do not count on me to save you from him again.” And then she turned and walked away.

The wolves hesitated, thinking about going after here, before turning and running to Derek’s side.

“Don’t move!” Erica exclaimed, worry flooding her voice.

“I don’t have much of a choice right now.” Derek forced out through clenched teeth as he began to struggle for breath.

They lifted the tree off of him and threw it aside. Derek took in a huge gasp of breath and sat up. “Stiles.” He choked.

“Isaac and Scott are taking him to the hospital.” Peter said. “We’ll go as soon as you get changed because you can’t go in a torn up, blood-soaked shirt.”

Derek snarled and ripped the remnants off his body. “There’s more in the car. Let’s go.”

“By the way they took your car.” Allison said smiling. “So we’ll take the SUV.”

Derek was obviously not trying to be mad about them taking the Camaro, just held his hand out for the keys. “Let’s go.”

They all piled into the car, Derek and Peter up front and the teens in the back. It was a bit cramped but nothing they aren’t used to.

“Hurry Derek.” Erica whispered. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“None of us do.” Danny said. “We need him.”

 

Derek’s POV

We rushed into the ER and saw Scott’s mom, Melissa, waiting for us.

“How is he?” I demanded.

“He’s fine. His dad’s on his way. Figure out a story.” She whispered before going back to work.

Scott and Isaac ran up. “In the forest and tripped?” Scott suggested.

I nodded. “Where is he?”

“Getting X-rays.” Isaac answered. “They say he’s fine just a little bruised but they need to be sure. He’s fine. He’s going to be perfectly fine.”

I took a deep breath and felt the tension leave my muscles and the pack as whole. We collapsed into the waiting chairs or onto the floor next to them and settled in to wait for our injured pack member.

 

3rd Person POV

The whole pack jumped as they heard the Sheriff shouting as he came down the hall, demanding to know where is son was. Derek sighed and got to his feet, moving out into the hall.

The Sheriff spotted him and his face went dark.

“What happened?” He asked, low and quiet so only a wolf could hear.

Derek gestured for him to come sit by them.

“Now Derek.” He whispered, not moving.

Derek sighed and walked over. “We left them alone.” He whispered. “Thought they’d be safe in a place filled with the pack’s scents. They weren’t. It attacked and threw him into a tree. I wasn’t fast enough back to stop it but that’s all it did.”

He gasped as he was pushed against the wall in the same way he used to do it Stiles.

“I warned you Derek Hale.” Sam growled in his face. “I warned you not to let him get hurt. And now he is. And I need to make good on that promise.”

“Leave him.” The wolves heard Stiles’s say weakly. The recognized the body orderlies were wheeling past to be Stiles and perked up. “Don’t hurt him Sam.” He whispered before the orderlies pushed him into a room down the hall.

Sam growled and let Derek go. “Only because it’s Stiles.” Then she turned and slipped down the hall after them, slipping into his room.

Derek gulped and went to sit down again, his face pale.

“Sorry about her.” Sheriff said, clapping Derek on the shoulder. “She’s always been protective of my son. Right from the start.”

Derek just nodded. “Go find out what’s wrong.”

Sheriff nodded and walked over to Melissa.

“Are you alright Derek?” Isaac asked.

“You don’t look so good nephew.” Peter whispered.

“I’m possibly losing a pack member uncle. How do you think I am?”

“He’ll be fine.” They heard Melissa say, all the wolves’ heads shooting up and the humans looking up in curiosity.

“He’s got two bruised ribs a concussion, but other than that, Stiles is fine.”

The Sheriff breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the pack, smiling softly.

Derek took a deep breath of relief and color came back into his face. The whole pack visibly relaxed as the wolves told the humans what they’d heard and everyone collapsed against each other in relief.

The Sheriff walked over and looked at them all. “You know, you guys are the talk of the town. You’re quite a sight.”

Derek smiled weakly. “We’re pack.”

Sheriff smiled. “I know. And that’s why I’m going to overlook the rules and let you all stay at my house with Stiles tonight so you stay calm.”

Everyone looked up happily.

“Just this once.” Sheriff added. “I’m taking him home in an hour. I expect you there ten minutes after that to relieve the anxiety I’m sure he’ll have by then if he’s not drugged up. And if he is drugged up I’d rather you deal with him instead of me.”

The pack laughed weakly.

“Go. Get out. Go home and then come to our house.” Sheriff said.

The all got to their feet and filed out, Derek last.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

Sheriff nodded. “I’m starting to see how important you all are to each other. Figured it might help.”

Derek nodded. “Definitely. It definitely helps.”

 

Stiles’s POV

I woke up to searing pain in my ribs. I groaned and felt a hand on mine.

“Breathe through it Stiles.” I heard Sam say. “It’s always worst right when you wake up.”

I wanted to tell her that I know, I’ve had broken ribs before and I know how it feels. But I couldn’t force the words out of my throat.

“They’re not broken.” She said, reading my mind. “Just bruised. You’ll be fine in a week.”

I grunted as the pain started to fade and lifted my head. “I got thrown into a tree.”

She laughed. “Yes. Yes you did.”

“And you threatened Derek.” I whispered, remembering hearing them as some people wheeled me past.

She smiled. “Yes. Yes I did.”

I laughed and groaned as it shot pain through my ribs.

“Try not to move to quick.” Sam suggested. “Your dad’ll be in to get you in a bit. We’re taking you home.”

I nodded and looked up as the door opened and dad came in with Melissa.

“Good to see you awake Stiles.” Melissa said smiling. “We’re going to give you some painkillers and send you home as your ribs are just bruised and not broken.”

I nodded and looked at dad. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

Dad smiled. “Took off to come see what happened to my son. And Sam insisted on coming in as well.”

Sam smiled. “Not gonna let my best friend since he was born lie in a hospital in the middle of the night without anyone else.” And that’s when I remembered. She doesn’t like hospitals. At all. Hates being inside them.

“Pack would’ve sat with me.” I muttered, trying to make up for forcing her into a place she hates.

“I sent them home.” Dad said. “And they’re all going to meet us at our house so you can do that pile thing and comfort them and stop them from freaking out like the last time you got hurt and I came home to a bunch of teens in your bed.”

I smiled at the memory. We’d been going after the sasquatches last month and I’d been scratched up pretty bad. I’d gone to sleep alone in my bed and woke up to them all being around me.

“You good to go Stiles?” Sam asked.

I nodded and held a hand out to her, knowing she’d help but not baby me like dad would.

She helped me off the bad and draped the sweatshirt she was wearing around my bare, wrapped, torso. She took a good hold of my arm until I was steady and then let go, allowing me to stumble my own way to the elevator. She stayed right by me and when we stopped at the elevator to wait for dad, who was getting my painkillers, she stood behind me and let me lean against her, one of her arms coming around my waist to hold me up.

“I wish I could heal fast.” I muttered.

“I know.” She whispered back. That’s all she said. And that’s all she needed to say. We stood in silence, waiting for dad. I could feel my body relaxing against the warmth of hers.

“You’re warm.” I whispered.

She chuckled but didn’t say anything.

Dad walked up and smiled at our situation. “Come on cuddlers.”

We both laughed, me wincing in pain from it, and got in the elevator. He handed the bag of pills to Sam. “Make sure he takes these. Two every six hours. I have to get back to work.”

She nodded. “You got it.”

“Why can’t I have them?”

“Because you’d either forget to take them or take to many you bumbling idiot.” Sam answered. It would be insulting but she’s Sam so it’s said with love.

I sighed, conceding. “Fine. Then let’s get home so I can take some and go to sleep.”

 

When we got home Sam helped me from her car, which is awesome but painful to get in and out of with bruised ribs. She helped me inside and then stepped back as the pack mobbed me. Scott got to me first, followed by Isaac, Erica, Lydia, Allison, and Danny. Jackson, Boyd, and Derek stayed back, but I knew they were just as relieved to see me well, they just aren’t as tactile as the rest of them.

“Alright.” Sam said, I could hear the smile in her voice even if I couldn’t see it on her face. “Let him go guys. We don’t need you accidently breaking the already bruised ribs. Besides he needs to eat something so he can take his pain pills.”

They all slowly let go and made a path to the kitchen.

“We made some chicken.” Allison said. “We figured you’d need it.”

I smiled. “You’re awesome.” I didn’t say it loud, but I knew they all heard or the wolves would tell them if they didn’t hear it. Sam stayed behind me and only left once I was sitting at the table eating to go upstairs.

“She’s just as protective as always.” Scott said, sitting across from me.

“She’s pissed I got hurt and wouldn’t let her hurt Derek for it.” I answered.

“She’s kind of terrifying.” Isaac said, walking in. The rest of the pack was sitting down in the living room, letting me eat in peace now that they were certain I was okay.

Scott and I both smirked. “You don’t know the half of it.” Scott said.

“What do you mean?”

“He means that I’ve been a psycho on the edge of a mental breakdown since the day my dad died.” Sam said, walking in and going to the fridge for a soda. “And that I did martial arts growing up and can hold my own in a fight against pretty much anyone.” She walked over with the soda and set it in front of me, along with two white pills.

I wordlessly reached out for both and swallowed the pills without complaint. As soon as they were gone, she turned on her heel and walked out again.

Isaac looked at me. “When she pinned Derek to the wall in the hospital, was she really going to hurt him?”

I shrugged, nodding as well. “Most likely. That’s why I stopped her.”

“She’d hurt your alpha?”

“She’d hurt anyone that hurt me.” I answered. “Or Scott.”

Scott nodded. “She’s always been a really protective person. Even when we were little. We never got picked on in school for being loners because she’d take down anyone who tried it. I think I remember her taking Jackson down once.”

“We are not talking about that McCall!” Jackson called from the living room.

I laughed and again winced as it hurt. I waved my hand to dismiss Isaac’s worrying.

“I remember that.” I said. “He was picking on you for being asthmatic. She beat that out of him pretty quick.”

“I said we weren’t talking about it!” Jackson shouted.

Isaac was just laughing and I could hear the others laughing as well. I just smiled to save my ribs the pain. I could feel my eyelids already getting heavy as I finished my plate. Scott noticed and smiled.

“Come on then.” He said, getting to his feet and coming to stand next to me. “It’s two in the morning and we’re all exhausted. We’re nesting in the living room by order of the girls and your father.” He helped me to the feet and I stumbled into the living room. I felt hands on me and recognized the feel of some. There was Lydia’s small, soft hands on my left forearm. The strong, warm hand that belongs to Danny was on my left shoulder. And the small, calloused hand of Allison was on my right arm. All the hands gently helped me lay down in the pile of pillows and blankets the pack had put together. Then the pack all laid down around me, each of the ones closet to me reaching out to touch me before easily falling asleep. There were two hands on both of my shins and another one on each of my arms. And then there was one on my shoulder as well. I looked up to see Derek laying on the couch above me, fast asleep. I smiled and closed my eyes, letting sleep take me.


	11. Pack Breakfast

Derek’s POV

I woke to the sound of pots banging in the kitchen and for a moment let myself just listen to it. It feels like home. Then I caught scent of who it was and my fangs came out.

“Don’t you dare growl at me in my own home wolfboy.” Sam’s voice said.

Everything came flooding back about the night before. Stiles. I sat up and looked around. The pack was all lying on the floor, but Stiles was gone.

“Don’t freak out alpha.” Sam called, probably hearing my heart rate increase. “He’s upstairs showering.”

I listened closely, picking out the sound of te shower running and the familiar heart beat pounding from upstairs. I relax.

“Good. Now, come help with breakfast. We’ve got a pack to feed.”

I sighed and got up, silently throwing myself over the back of the couch before going into the kitchen. Sam turned from where she was chopping some vegetables and looked at me, holding the knife threatening.

“First things first.” She said it quietly, but I could clearly hear the repressed anger in her voice. “The only reason you are not dead right now, is because of the boy upstairs. If I knew he’d forgive me for killing you, I would. But he wouldn’t. Because he is loyal to a fault. And to fricking stupid to know when he’s in over his head or someone doesn’t deserve him. I’m letting you off easy this once, but next time, I will take my knife to your throat and your blood will spill. I won’t kill you because I wouldn’t do that to Stiles, or Scott, because they are the only things in the world I care about. So keep them safe. Or I’ll show you just how strong I’ve become since my mother died.” She took a deep breath and I heard her heart rate settle. “Second thing, get the bacon and sausage from the fridge. We need to get some calories in those boys.”

I was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in her tone, but automatically moved to do as she said. After my mother and then Laura and now Stiles I’m used to following orders in a kitchen. I plopped the multiple packets of meat on the counter.

She gave it a glance. “Good. Now get out a pan and set them to frying. Your pack’ll wake up soon.”

I didn’t respond, just grabbed a couple pans from the cupboard and set them on the stove. I threw the meat in them and turned the burners on, setting them frying.

“Good. Now start making scrambled eggs while I go check on Stiles.” She ordered before sweeping from the kitchen.

I sighed. Wow. It almost feels like Laura’s back. She and mom were the cooks in the family. They made everything from cookies to brownies to casseroles. And always enough for the whole pack, even with almost all of us being wolves. I pulled out another pan, grabbed the eggs from the fridge, and started in on the mind-numbing task of scrambling eggs.

 

Stiles’s POV

I was fighting with my shirt when there was a knock at the door. “Yea?” I called softly, not wanting to wake the wolves if they weren’t up yet.

“It’s me.” Sam’s voice came through the door. “Are you alright?”

I sighed and let the shirt fall to the floor. I wrenched the door open, grabbed her by her shirt, pulled her in, and shut the door behind me. I grabbed the shirt and waved it at her. “Help me!”

She laughed and took the shirt from me, gently moving me and manipulating my arms, ending with my having the shirt on. I hugged her tightly. “Now the overshirt.”

She sighed and took the red plaid button up from me and again manipulated me into it. Then I hugged her again. “You literally the most amazing person I’ve ever met.” I whispered.

She laughed and pushed me off, gently though. “Come on weird one. I’ve got your alpha cooking and your pack’ll wake up soon.”

“Wait, Derek’s cooking?” I was shocked. “How’d you manage that?”

“I didn’t ask.” She said smiling. “I told.”

I rolled my eyes. “Only you would order an alpha werewolf to cook.”

She smiled. “Yea yea I’m aware that I’m special. Come on. I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.”

“Damn straight!” She said, throwing an arm around my shoulder. I laughed and hooked my arm around her waist, not wanting to risk it by lifting it high enough to go around her shoulder, and we laughed as we stumbled back down the stairs.

Derek looked up as we walked in and then went back to staring at the pans on the stove in front of him. He looked uncomfortable.

“You don’t have to stay here Derek.” I said. “I know you don’t like being around people who aren’t pack.”

“I’m fine.” He ground out. “Just tense from the threat.”

I rolled my eyes, but, like always, I let him keep his lie. Sam however, has no shame. Never has never will.

“You’re lying Derek Hale.” She said. She flashed him a smile. “You just don’t like my scent being all over your pack. Don’t worry. They’re still yours.” With that she swept from the room and I could clearly hear the sounds of her usual way of waking people up. She grabbed and pillow and started beating them senseless.

I laughed as I heard Scott groan and grab another pillow, starting the usual, early morning pillow fight.

“How do you deal with her?” Derek asked me.

I shrugged. “It’s an acquired skill.”

He sneered. “Guess so.” He finished cooking the meat Sam must’ve started him on and plopped all the food into big bowls we have at all the pack houses for meals before plopping all the food onto the table.

I smiled and turned towards the door. “Oi!” I shouted. “Eat or be eaten!”

There was a symphony of thumps as the pack climbed over each other to get to the kitchen. I placed myself between the table and the door, hand held up, palm away from me. The scittered to a stop and I smiled at them.

“You will each take two scoops of chopped vegetables.” I declared. “And you will eat all of those vegetables before coming back for seconds. Is that clear?”

They all nodded eagerly. They’d gotten used to my insisting they ate at least one healthy thing at each meal. I stepped aside and waved my hand. They dove forward to get their food and I walked into the living room. I smiled when I saw Sam sitting on the couch, two plates in her lap.

“I love you.” I stated, flopping down next to her and taking my plate.

She grinned. “I’m aware.”

I just rolled my eyes and dug in. The room filled back up quickly as the pack came back in with their food and sat around us. Sam looked at Lydia and Danny, who were on either sides of Jackson nearby.

“So what _are_ you two?” She asked.

Everyone stiffened slightly but Lydia just laughed and Danny smiled.

“We don’t know.” Lydia explained. “I find dead bodies though. That’s a nice talent.”

“And I seem to have a green thumb.” Danny said.

She nodded. “So a witch with a fascinating connection to death and one with earthly affiliations?” She said, repeating what she’d said the first night. “Nice. You should find teachers. You could probably do a lot more than that.”

“What do you mean?” Lydia asked.

“No.” Derek declared from the door, we all ignored him. As usual.

“Tell me.” Lydia insisted. “What did you mean when you called me a witch?”

“Well I mentioned it to Stiles when we talked when I first got here but it seems to me that you both have magic inside. Buried quite deep, I’ll admit that, but it’s still there. It’s more pronounced in you because you were bit by an alpha. Your magic inside burned it out though. That’s probably why you seemed immune.”

“How do you know all this?” Jackson asked, always wary when it came to Lydia.

“I studied with witches when I was like sixteen. I learned some stuff that a normal human can do as well as learning about the principles of pretty much everything. I don’t have the power to use it, but I still like knowing it.”

“Could you teach us?” Lydia asked. “The basics at least?”

“No.” Derek declared, louder this time and in more of a growl.

Sam shrugged. “I guess. But like I said you should find teachers. From what I can see with the tiny human spark I have you seem to both have great power inside you.”

Lydia looked at Derek, her face set for a fight. Derek stared right back. No one said anything, knowing how this would end. The same way every argument between Lydia and Derek ends. Derek giving up.

“Could you really teach us?” Danny asked, quietly.

Sam nodded. “At least control. I can’t teach tricks or spells or anything but the control needed to control magic is the same control I use to control my body in a fight. Our magic is just an extension of yourself.”

Danny looked at Derek. “I’d like to at least learn control Derek. I grew a six foot tall sunflower last month on _accident_. I need to control it.”

Derek sighed. “You will do it at the house and only when I am present.”

Sam looked at him. “You realize you banned me fromt here, right?”

“If you’re going to teach my pack members, I’ll have to get used to it. Besides, I think all the wolves could use a little extra control as well. Maybe we’ll join you.”

Sam smiled. “I’d love to have everyone.”

I snorted. She elbowed me. I just snickered.

“I’ll join you.” I declared.

“Delightful. A human.” She teased.

I smacked at her head but she ducked out of the way. Just then all the wolves’ heads shot up.

“Sheriff’s home.” Scott declared.

“Hide the bacon!” I screamed, scrambling to get up. Sam clamped down on my arm with a smile.

“You nearly gave him an aneurysm Stiles, let him eat some meat.”

“I knew there was a reason I loved you!” The Sheriff shouted back, obviously having heard what Sam had said.

“No grease!” I shouted.

“Deal!” Dad shouted back.

“I’m leaving.” Derek declared. “See you all for training Monday.” With that he grabbed his leather jacket, pulled it on, and left.

“Movie time?” Sam suggested.

“MOVIE TIME!” The whole pack screamed in response.

“Popcorn!” Scott declared.

“It’s not even noon Scott.” Sam said, smiling fondly at the puppy, “You don’t need popcorn yet.”

He sighed. “Fine. But later we are having popcorn.”

Dad walked in and looked at us all. “Glad to see everyone’s calmed down after last night.”

I smiled. “They worry needlessly.”

“Didn’t you almost get cut in half the last time you said that?” Dad said.

I ducked my head.

“Thought so.” Dad said. “Well I’m home now and not going anywhere so make room for the oldie.”

Isaac got out of dad’s chair and came over to sit by my feet. Dad gave him a smile. “So what are we watching?”

“Who’s turn is it?” I asked.

“Boyd’s.” Isaac declared.

“Fast & Furious.” He answered. No one failed to notice Erica giving him a huge grin as he said it. He doesn’t care what we watch, so she tends to pick for him. And she loves Vin Diesel so…

“Put it in Scott!” I declared.

Scott laughed but got up to put the disc in. Sam stood up carefully and held her hand out for my dish. I gave it to her without a word and she took them to the kitchen, snagging a couple more off the table on the way as well. Scott came and sat beside me, leaving room between us. Sam wordlessly came back into the room and sat between us, leaning on Scott and bringing her feet up to sit in my lap. I leaned against her, my head on her shoulder, and her arm easily fit behind me, her hand laying on my side.

Then we noticed the pack. Who were staring at s like we were crazy.

“What?” I asked. “We were like ten the last time we had movie day. This is us. Deal with it.”

They all shrugged and turned back to the TV, accepting the weirdness. I could feel Sam rubbing the edge of the bandages I’d managed to wrap myself back up in after my shower, as if asking for something. I sighed, shifting slightly so her hand was on the bandage completely. I glanced up at her to see her smile as she slowly started massaging the pain away. I relaxed into her, any and all tension just flowing out of me. She rubbed her cheek on the top of my head before setting it back on Scott’s shoulder as we settled in for the movie. God I missed this.


	12. Day One of Training

Stiles’s POV

Monday morning I was waiting in the kitchen for Sam and making sure dad ate a healthy breakfast.

“What are you two up to today?”

“We’re going to the pack house and then this afternoon Sam said she’s going to look at a couple more flats so I’ll probably hang with one of the wolves.”

Dad nodded. “Be safe.”

I gestured to my ribs. “More protective, remember? I won’t be going anywhere alone I can guarantee you that.”

“He’s right.” Sam said, coming down stairs still toweling her hair. “The pack’s going to be super protective until that rabid is caught. It’s instinct.” She vanished into the wash room and came back without the towel, her still damp hair hanging down around her. She walked over and sat down on the floor in front of me. Knowing what she wanted I started French braiding her hair automatically while she talked. “Humans are rarely brought into wolf packs. It’s not rare for there to be humans as some are born without the wolf and still carry the gene, like some of Derek’s family, but for a human to be brought in and accepted so easily into the pack is rare. Any rival pack would look at this one and see Stiles as the weak link because he’s human but in all actuality Stiles here is the strongest. He holds this entire pack together. Without him it wouldn’t have formed. If any rival, rabid or otherwise, threatened Stiles, they wouldn’t just have wolves pissed that you’re threatening a pack mate, they’d have the entirety of the human side as well. Humans are well protected. Especially when they’re injured. There’s no reason to worry at all.”

Dad sighed. “Thanks Sam.”

She grinned and turned her head slightly to look at him. “Any time Sheriff.”

I just rolled my eyes and snapped my fingers for a hair tie. She passed one up to me and I tied her hair off, letting the long braid hang down the center of her back. “Done. Now let’s go or we’re going to be late.” I said, getting up and walking over her.

She hopped to her feet and pulled on the sweatshirt she was holding. She’ll probably lose it later but it looks good on her. She smiled at me. “You driving?”

“Yea we’ll take the jeep.” I answered.

She nodded, grabbing her keys anyway and slipping them, along with her phone, into her jeans pocket.

“You’re training in jeans?” I asked, following her out of the house. I was in shorts and a tshirt and I have a feeling I’ll be boiling.

She smiled. “You’d be surprised what I can do in jeans. Besides, they’re loose, I can breathe in them.”

“They’re guys jeans, aren’t they?” I guessed by the depth of the pockets and from past experience, listening to the girls rant, I know girls’ pockets aren’t that deep.

She flashed another smile as we got in the jeep. I rolled my eyes and started Betty up, sighing happily at the sound of her engine.

“What’s her name?” Sam asked.

“Betty.” I answered.

She reached out and patted the dashboard. “It’s good to see you again Betty. It’s been far too long.”

I rolled my eyes and turned the radio on. She grinned and cranked it up, both of us singing along as we drove to the pack house.

 

When we pulled up, we were both still singing and finished out the song before I turned the jeep off and we got out. We both grinned at the pack, who’d been watching us sing. I went to the steps and sat down by Lydia and Danny.

“Get over here Stiles.” Derek said, coming from the forest. “We’re doing this control thing as a pack.”

I sighed and got to my feet, Lydia and Danny following suit, and we walked out onto the grass. Sam walked over with a black bag in hand and threw it down.

“Gather round my pretties.” She crooned at us.

I reached out and smacked her head.

She just laughed and sat down. The rest of us followed suit, sitting in a circle in the grass.

“So how do we do this?” Lydia asked.

“Basically you go into a trance, entering your own mind to look for what you want. The wolves should look for their wolf, that’s what they are learning to control. But you and Danny, you need to look for a light. It will call to you, feel powerful. That’s your power. It might be dampened, like something’s blocking it, so you may have to maneuver to get to it. I can help you along the way with instructions but only you can go into your mind.”

“How do we enter this trance?” Derek asked suspiciously.

Sam smiled and lunged forward to grab the bag she’d brought. She unzipped it and pulled out blindfolds. “The wolves will put these on. It will block your sight, smell, and hearing to the outside world, allowing you to go within yourself a bit easier. Unfortunately these are too strong for humans so we’ll do it the old fashion way.”

“Which is?” I asked.

“Breathing.”

“You’re going to cut our senses off?” Scott asked, sounding worried.

“Yes. But I’m more than capable of protecting you all.”

Derek snorted and her attention shot to him.

“What’s so funny alpha?”

“There’s a feral omega in these woods and you think you can protect us. The betas can wear the things, but I’ll go without, thanks.”

Sam smirked. “Fine. But you’ll wish you put one on.” She threw one to each of the wolves and they looked nervous. “Not yet.” Sam said as Scott made to put it on, trusting Sam completely. “You need instruction first. Also as the instructor those are tied to my voice, you’ll be able to hear me once they’re on.”

They seemed to relax a little at knowing they’ll be able to hear something and I didn’t miss the smile Sam had when she saw it as well.

“The actual breathing part is easy. Four seconds in, four seconds out. Concentrate on your heartbeat and let it slow to a relaxed state. Then turn inside yourself. That’s where it gets hard. Your mind will fight back. It’s designed to remain closed, even to you. Yes it’s yours but that’s your essence. It wants to remain protected. You need to find your own way in. For some people it’s a thought that lets them in. Others a memory. Find your key and enter your mind. It feels different to each person, but seems to usually represent somewhere they feel safe. Comfortable. After that it’s a matter of finding what you’re looking for.”

“And when we do?” Lydia asked.

“That’s later. Most of you won’t even get into your mind today. And those who do have a very slim possibility of finding their power.”

“So we won’t get control today?” Erica asked.

“No. You will actually find that this is something that helps immensely. A wolf I met a while ago used to do this every night before he went to sleep. Had perfect control, even on the blue moon.”

I had no idea why that was special, but Derek seemed slightly impressed.

“Do you do it?” Isaac asked. “This thing?”

Sam nodded. “I have to. I’ve done some shit and have nightmares if I don’t do it at least every few nights.”

“And if they can’t come back out?” Derek asked.

“I know what to do. Besides they most likely won’t get deep enough today to get stuck.”

Derek still looked a little uncomfortable, but he nodded. “Do as she says.” He ordered.

“Get comfortable. You won’t be moving for a while.” Sam declared, crossing her legs and sitting straight. When she noticed others copying her she smiled. “No guys get comfortable. Most of you will want to lie down. We aren’t moving for a couple hours. I like sitting like this but you won’t want to.”

I flopped back onto my back and looked at the sky. I could hear others following suit until we were all laid out. All but Sam and Derek. They sat across the circle from each other, both straight-backed and calm.

“I’ll start it out counting.” Sam declared. “Follow my breaths and allow yourself to sink beneath your own consciousness. Wolves, put on the blindfolds and we’ll begin.”

 

Hours later, I felt a touch on my arm and opened my eyes to see Sam smiling over me. I smiled back. “We done?” I asked, my voice a little hoarse because of how dry my throat is.

She nodded and helped me sit up, handed me a bottle of water, and moved to Isaac. I watched her go around, touching each pack member on the shoulder, helping them sit up, and handing them a bottle of water. I noticed Derek was gone but didn’t say anything. He probably had good reason to leave. Either that or Sam scared him off. Which is possible. Once everyone was awake she smiled at s all.

“Did any of you manage to get inside?” She asked.

Lydia raised her hand, smiling.

“And how do you feel?”

“Amazing. I’m so much calmer than I was before.”

Sam smiled and looked at the rest of us. “And everyone else, how do you feel?”

“Rested.” Erica answered. “Like I just got a full night’s sleep. How long were we out?”

“Two hours.” Sam answered. “It’s just gone noon. And yes you will feel very rested. I don’t need to sleep at all if I do this for a bit when I get tired.”

“Have you done that?” Jackson asked.

“Yes. Once or twice. But none of you should attempt it at this stage.”

“Why not?” Scott asked.

“You’d overwork yourself and possibly fall into a coma, unable to get out of your head. I had to wake you all up today, so don’t try anything unless I’m there with you. Alright?”

We all nodded. Sam looked at me, giving me a hard look. “Alright?” She asked again.

I smiled and nodded. “Promise.”

She flashed a smile and looked around. “Well your alpha’s wandered off so I advise stretching out to get rid of the knots that I’m sure formed in your muscles while you were delving and I’ll see you later.”

“Stay!” Isaac said. “Derek won’t mind.”

“Derek most certainly will.” Derek said, coming out of the forest. He never even glanced at Sam, and she was smirking as if trying not to laugh. What the hell happened between them while we were out?

“Derek please.” Isaac said. “She’s Stiles’s best friend besides Scott and we want to get to know her.” He gave Derek the puppy dog eyes and we all knew he’d crack.

“Fine.” He finally gave in. “But she stays out of the way. And listens. If you are all so adamant about bringing her into this pack, she’s going to need to know how to defend herself.”

“I can manage fine.” Sam said. And she was right, but Derek didn’t believe.

“You will train with the pack to at least defend yourself.” Derek declared.

Sam sighed. “Fine. I didn’t want to but I will. You fight me Derek. Right here, right now. I win you leave me alone and let me be with my best friend since ever. You win and I’ll train with your pack.”

“I don’t fight humans.” He ground out.

Sam smirked. “Why? Scared I’ll beat you? The Big Bad Wolf scared of a little girl?” She mocked.

I sighed and walked away, going up onto the porch. I don’t want to be down there when they fight. The rest of the pack seemed to have the same idea as they all followed me up. We watched in amusement as Sam taunted Derek. Finally Derek snapped, lunging forward.

Sam sidestepped, bringing her hand down onto his back, right25between his shoulder blades. He stumbled but recovered quickly, turning towards her again, half shifted to wolf. She smirked and waited patiently for him. He threw himself into the fight and I watched with only a partial interest, already knowing what the outcome would be.

“Ten bucks on Derek.” Isaac declared.

“Deal.” Scott answered, hiding a smirk. We both knew how this would end.

“I’ll get in on that to.” Erica said.

“Fifty on Sam.” I declared.

“I’ll take that.” Jackson said.

I hid my smirk. I’m about to become fifty bucks richer.

We watched as Sam caught Derek’s fist, spun under his arm and hooked it up his back, pulling it out of its socket. She pushed him to the ground and placed her knee on his back, leaning over to whisper to him. Well ‘whisper’ seeing as it was loud enough for even the humans to hear.

“Human don’t need no wolf.” She said smirking before letting him go, slamming his shoulder back in place, and getting off him. She looked up at us.

“Make good on your bets!” She said smiling and then focused on me. “Keys? I’ve got to go look at a flat. I’ll come back to get you.”

I pulled the keys from my pocket and threw them at her. She caught them easily and got back into the jeep, waving and blowing a kiss before driving away. I looked at the rest of the pack and had to resist the urge to laugh hysterically. Besides Scott every single one of them had a look of shock on their face.

“Does this make her above you?” Danny spoke first after a long silence.

“No. I didn’t submit.” Derek growled. “Now let’s go!”

 _I_ could almost smell the fear as it rolled off of them. Derek was pissed at losing, and now they were going to get the short straw. I smiled. This’ll be good.


	13. Into the Forest

Stiles’s POV

“Can we go for a walk in the woods?” Sam asked from the floor. It was two weeks after the full moon and I could finally do physical activity without feeling like I was dying. I looked over the edge of the bed.

“Why?”

She shrugged. “I want to see the trees. I’ve missed them.”

“It’s a dark moon tonight. We won’t be able to see.”

“If we go now we can be back before dark.”

I sighed. “Derek told us not to go out there.”

“He also said he could beat me.”

I laughed. “Yea that’s true. That was great.”

“Did Jackson ever pay up?”

I grinned and nodded. “Yea he paid up after training.”

“Good. Now come on. I want to see the forest.”

I shook my head. “I can’t Sam. We’re not supposed to go without a wolf.”

“So call Scotty!” She exclaimed. “I want to go!”

“Scott’s at Allison’s tonight.”

“Then call that curly one. The puppy.”

“Isaac?”

“Yea. Him. Make him go with us. Please Stiles?” She gave me the puppy eyes and I caved.

“Fine. I’ll text Isaac.” I sighed.

She cheered and threw my phone at me. I pulled up a message to him.

_To: Golden Pup_

_U busy?_

 

It was only a minute before I got a response but Sam’s twitching made it seem longer.

_From: Golden Pup_

_No. Why?_

_To: Golden Pup_

_Sam and I wanna go into the forest 4 a walk b4 dark but D said we need a wolf. Can u take us?_

_From: Golden Pup_

_I’ll be over in a bit._

 

“He said he’ll be over in a bit.” I told Sam.

“Whoo hoo!” She cheered, getting up and throwing herself on top of me. “Thanks Sti.”

I smiled and hugged her back. “Mhmm. If we die, I blame you.”

She laughed. “We won’t. I won’t let it hurt you.”

I smiled and kissed her head. “I know. Still, covering the basics.”

She chuckled and we laid there in silence, waiting for Isaac. A few minutes later there was a tap at the window.

“It’s open Isaac.” I said, pushing Sam up. She sat up as Isaac pushed the window open and slipped through. His nose wrinkled.

“What?” I asked.

“Smells weird in here.” He declared.

“It’s called affection.” Sam said, rolling off the bed and landing in a push up position on the floor. She pushed herself to her feet and smiled at him. “Can we go now? I want to be back before dark.”

I nodded and got to my feet. “Where’d you throw my shoes?”

“Over by the door.” Sam answered, grabbing her sweatshirt. And you should leave a note for your dad when we leave. He’ll be home in like an hour and we wouldn’t want him to worry.”

I nodded and went hunting for my shoes. “Can you write it? You’re ready and I can’t find my left shoe.”

She sighed and ducked under the desk, pulling out my other shoe and throwing it at me.

“Thanks.”

She rolled her eyes and left the room.

I looked at Isaac, who seemed a little shocked. “Come on.”

He looked at me. “You’re so comfortable with her. More so than with any of us.”

I smiled slightly. “We grew up together Isaac. It’s to be expected.” With that I left the room to, trusting Isaac to follow behind.

 

Ten minutes later we were on our way to the preserve.

“We have to go to the normal entrance. I can’t go to the house.” Sam reminded me.

I nodded. “I’m aware.” I pulled into the preserve entrance and pulled to the side. I shut the jeep off and the three of us got out. “We are not running.” I declared.

Sam smiled. “I’d never make you try to run with me Stiles.”

I rolled my eyes, remembering when we were ten, not long before she left actually, we used to go running in the woods. I was never able to keep up with her and judging from her smile I still wouldn’t be able to. Sam skipped around the car and linked arms with me.

“Come on I want to go see our trees.”

I laughed and let her pull me along, locking the jeep behind me and calling for Isaac to follow us.

Sam stopped us and tilted her head back, taking in a huge breath. She sighed out with contentment.

“What?” I asked.

She looked at me, eyes sparkling and a huge grin on her face. “It smells like home. _Feels_ like home. I haven’t had it in so long.”

I smiled and kissed her forehead. “It’s good to have you home. It was weird without you.”

She smiled and we kept walking, arm in arm, towards the little clearing we’d found as kids. When we got there, she let go of my arm and fell into the grass near the center, laughing. I laughed with her and fell next to her. We both noticed Isaac for the first time since they car and I blushed a bit.

“Sorry ‘bout that Isaac. Sometimes we forget we’re not normal.” I said smiling.

He didn’t say anything, just looked at the trees. “These are beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Sam answered.

We both looked at her.

“What?” She said. “I am the one who found this place on one of my runs.”

I sighed. “I’m still pissed you did those. Especially now that I know what was out here.”

“I was safe. The Hale family was still here so they kept things away from the town.”

“But I didn’t know that at the time. I always worried you’d get hurt or killed or something.” I could feel my throat already constricting at the thought of losing her.

She smiled softly at me. “And yet here I am. Perfectly fine. And healthy. Alright? I’m right here.”

I smiled and took a deep breath, my throat loosening again. “Thanks.” I whispered.

She moved her arm and offered her side, knowing I’d be more comfortable if I could hear her heartbeat. I dove straight into it, curling up against her with my head on her shoulder.

“Thank you.” I whispered again.

She kissed my head and I could feel her smile. “Anytime.”

We laid in silence talking quietly, until we heard Isaac start growling.

“Isaac?” I called quietly. “What’s wrong?”

“Run.” He hissed. “The rabid one. He’s coming. I can hear him. I can _smell_ him.”

I heard a growl deep in Sam’s chest and she pushed me to my feet, standing as well. “Isaac.” She whispered. “Take Stiles and run.”

Isaac nodded and walked over, reaching for my arm. I pulled it away and looked at Sam.

“No.” I whispered. “You have to run to. He’ll kill you.”

“No, he won’t. Run Stiles. Please. If you ever cared about me at all you’ll run.” She looked at Isaac. “And you’ll protect him.”

Isaac nodded and looked at me. “Let’s go Stiles.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me away. I turned back at the last second and saw Sam standing there, looking at the sky. And I think those were tears running down her face.

 

3rd Person POV

Stiles and Isaac sprinted through the forest, trying to get back to the jeep, but when Isaac heard a growl up ahead they had to veer off course. Now they were just running to get away from the rabid wolf following them. They heard another growl, coming from close behind them, and Isaac snarled. As he sprinted into a clearing, he stopped and turned, seamlessly shifting. He let out a howl, calling to the pack, and dropped into a defensive crouch.

Across the forest Derek looked up from the book he was reading and snarled, his eyes glowing and his fangs dropping. The members of the pack sitting in the living room as well, Boyd, Erica, and Scott, answered with snarls of their own before jumping up. Derek’s book hit the floor a second after the front door was closed.

In the clearing, Stiles sprinted past Isaac and skidded to a stop. He slipped and fell to the ground, a small flash of pain in his side but he ignored it.

“What are you doing?!” He screamed.

“There’s no way to out run a rabid!” Isaac said. “Hide yourself!”

Stiles ducked behind a tree and watched as the rabid entered the clearing. The rabid lopped into the clearing and Stiles was shocked. He didn’t look like a werewolf. He looked like a monster. His face was covered with scars and his fur was matted with blood. His eyes glowed blue and the fur around his mouth was soaked and dripping with blood. He threw his head back and roared and Stiles’s heart skipped a few beats in fear. It didn’t sound human. Or like anything that had ever come out of one of the pack’s mouths. It was broken and painful and completely and utterly unhinged. Isaac gave an answering snarl and the rabid looked at him. And then, just as Isaac tensed to fight him, there was a flash of something flying from the forest and tackling the wolf away.

The rabid and the new figure rolled on the ground, both of them moving too fast for Stiles or Isaac to get a good look at who the new figure was. The fight was short, with the new figure pinning the rabid to the ground and slicing his throat open with one of the knives in their hand. Then everything was still.

Stiles stared at the back of the figure and saw it was a girl. She was dressed in blue jeans and a long sleeved, dark green shirt. She was straddling the chest of the dead rabid, arms hanging limp at her side. Her hair was tucked under a dark cap and her back was sliced open by the claws. Slowly, the girl got to her feet, still facing away. I watched the slashes on her back close up, leaving her back smooth but her shirt destroyed. She slipped her knives into their sheaths, one on her thigh and one at the small of her back.

Isaac stood in front of Stiles, growling protectively at the girl.

“Stop that Isaac. I’d never hurt him.” She whispered.

Both boys froze at the sound of her voice.

“ _Sam_?!” Stiles exclaimed.


	14. It's Out

3rd Person POV

Isaac stood in front of Stiles, growling protectively at the girl.

“Stop that Isaac. I’d never hurt him.” She whispered.

Both boys froze at the sound of her voice.

“ _Sam_?!” Stiles exclaimed.

She turned slowly and looked at her best friend. “Hello Stiles.” Her voice was soft but they could both hear it break on his name.

“Sam.” He repeated. “What the hell?”

There was a loud crashing in the woods and a moment later Derek and Scott came crashing into the clearing, closely followed by Erica and Boyd. All of them were wolfed out and ready.

Stiles spun towards them and held up his hands. “Freeze!” He declared. “Wolves away!”

They all shifted back to human but crowded close and stayed tense.

“The rabid is dead.” Sam declared.

“Because you killed it.” Isaac snarled.

“He was going to kill you. And then Stiles. And I made a vow to never let him die. So to hell with you if you thought I was letting you fight it!”

“Stop.” Stiles said, looking at her.

She closed her mouth and looked at the ground.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Or Scott? Or both of us? We’re your best friends Sam. We promised to tell each other everything. No matter what.”

“I wanted to tell you.” Sam whispered. “But I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“The same reason I never told you when we were younger.”

“And why’s that?” Stiles demanded.

She looked up at him, control evident in her face, she was calm as she spoke but her voice still sounded raw with emotion. “It would’ve put you in danger. And I _never_ wanted you to get hurt.” Her eyes flickered down to his side and Stiles saw what was making them all so edgy. There was a massive cut on his side.

“Oh.” He said. “When did that happen?” And with that he pitched forward, only being caught by Isaac at the last second.

“Get him to the house.” Derek ordered.

Isaac nodded and rushed Stiles from the clearing, the other three running right behind. Sam made a move to follow but Derek growled at her.

“Don’t you dare growl at me Derek Hale.” She snarled back. “You did this. You dragged him into this life. You and your psychotic uncle. I don’t care what you want right now. I’m going with you to that house and I’m going to heal him. Then, and only then, will I talk to you.” With that she pushed past him and vanished into the forest, leaving Derek standing there. He ran a hand over his face and sighed before running after his pack.

 

When Derek finally got to the house, he could hear everyone in the kitchen and as he walked up he heard Sam order them all out. He ran up the steps and inside, heading straight for the kitchen as the four wolves present left it.

“Call the rest of your pack here Derek.” Sam ordered as a greeting as she ripped Stiles shirt open and looked at his wound. “We’ll need them to help him heal. I’ll have to draw healing speed from the wolves so they’ll need their anchors present.”

“Scott.” Derek said.

“We got it.” Scott said, the sounds of keys tapping and greetings being said coming faintly through the wall.

“Fix him.” Derek growled.

“I need the whole pack here.” Sam snarled. “And unless you want him to be possibly infected with whatever was on that stick that did this, I suggest you get me a bowl of warm water and a wash cloth.”

Derek hesitated for a moment before jumping into action.

“They are all on their way!” Scott shouted.

“Make sure they hurry.” Sam said quietly, knowing she didn’t need to raise her voice among wolves. “I can’t keep him from losing more blood for long.” A bowl and a washcloth appeared at her elbow. “Thank you Derek. Now I need you to go to outside.”

“No.” He growled.

“Yes. You’re giving off huge amounts of emotions and I can’t concentrate. Send Scott in to help me and go outside.”

He hesitated for a moment.

“Go.” She insisted.

He huffed and left the kitchen. Scott came in and walked over. “What do I do?”

“Grab his hand. If he squeezes, tell me.”

Scott nodded and picked up his hand. “Why didn’t you tell us? Really?”

Sam hesitated but kept cleaning the wound. “I couldn’t. It’s sworn that we don’t tell anyone but our anchor.”

“And we weren’t yours?” He sounded a little disappointed.

“No.” She whispered, looking at him. “You were. And you still are. Both of you. Stiles a bit more now because he’s still human but you’re still there. I still have the same protective urge I always have.” She said it with such honesty in her eyes that Scott didn’t even have to listen to her heart to know it was the truth. She held eye contact with him for a moment before dropping her gaze back down to Stiles’s side. “But I wasn’t old enough to share the secret yet. And I didn’t ask my mother to because I was afraid you’d run away and I’d never see you again.”

“You thought we’d be scared of you.”

“I thought you’d be disgusted by me.” She corrected. “I’m not human Scott. I never have been. But all I ever wanted was a normal human life. And I had the best I could get. When mom died, I was dragged back in but last year I felt it. You were bit. And I knew I had to come home. Unfortunately I was taken that same night because I could feel it burning through you and was distracted. I got away a couple months before I came here, but had to wait to heal before I could come home. I knew you’d be in this life but I didn’t know how to tell you, either of you, what I am.”

“You were protecting us?”

She nodded. “There are many people who want my family, and my kind, dead. The best way to do that is to kill our anchors and cause us to go mad. Go dark side. Then we’re fair game to anyone. I couldn’t let that happen to you. I couldn’t let them hurt me through you.”

Both of them fell into an uneasy silence, thinking about this whole mess.

“I forgive you.” Scott whispered, breaking the long silence. “I don’t care what Derek says, you’re family. And family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.”

Sam smiled at his Lilo & Stitch reference and nodded, giving Scott a small smile. “Muintir.”

Scott softly and looked about to say something but then his head shot up, looking towards the window. “They’re here.”

“All pack to the kitchen.” Sam said in a normal voice, knowing it’d carry to the wolves. “You too Derek.”

Everyone filed in and each winced at seeing Stiles lying wide open on the countertop.

“Gather around.” Sam ordered. “Each of you has to lay a hand on him. Wolves pull back on the pain draw until I tell you to.” She looked at Derek as he walked in. “You at his head. Scott across from me. The rest of you wherever.”

Everyone gathered around and set a hand on him. Sam closed her eyes and set her hands on either side of the slash. She took slow, deep, breaths and the entire pack automatically copied her again. She’d been training them for two weeks now and so far only Lydia, Allison, and Erica had managed to get inside their minds, but all the boys kept insisting they were close. But they all had the breathing pattern down by now.

“Release your healing power, but only take a little.” Sam whispered.

Immediately there were black veins running up the arms of all the wolves present. All the others just tightened their grip and tried to project comfort.

Sam opened her eyes and everyone was only slightly shocked to see the silver sheen in them. Her mouth moved in silent words and the slash started healing. Tendrils of new flesh stretched across the gap, intertwining to pull together and heal closed. As it finished healing, the glow in Sam’s eyes faded and she dropped to the floor. All the wolves stepped back and Scott hurried around to her side. She was out cold.

“Isaac, help me get her upstairs.” He said, pulling her up. Isaac immediately walked over and ducked under her other arm. “And someone bring Stiles. She’s going to need to see him and me right away when she wakes up.”

“How do you know?” Derek asked.

“This isn’t the first time she’s fainted. She used to have panic attacks and pass out. She always had to see us when she woke up and wouldn’t calm down until she did. She sometimes had second attacks because we weren’t there. Trust me Derek, I know her.”

“You didn’t know that she’s not human.” Erica reminded.

“Doesn’t matter what she is. She’s still _her_. And I will protect her Derek, even from you.” With that he and Isaac carried her out of the room. Jackson stepped forward and picked Stiles up carefully. Then he followed them. He stopped at the door to the kitchen and looked back though.

“You know,” he said, “you once admitted you started this pack for power. But now you’re being handed an opportunity to have a druid, and a strong one from what we can tell, at your side and you’re chasing her away. You might want to think on why.” Then he left.

“He’s right.” Lydia said. “For once he said something smart.” Then she and the others all followed them out. Derek could hear them all gathering in Stiles’s room upstairs. He sighed and went outside. He needs a run.

 

Stiles’s POV

I woke up with hair in my mouth. I pulled away and spat it out and looked to see who I was with. Sam. Of course. Wait. Something about her seems different. Then I remembered. She’s the druid. I scrambled away from her, falling off the bed and pushing across the floor to the opposite wall.

She shot awake at the thump of me hitting the floor and looked at me. “Stiles.”

“No.” I said. “You lied.”

She looked ashamed. “I’m sorry. But I couldn’t tell you.”

“I heard you talking to Scott yesterday. While I was bleeding. I was slightly awake. I could hear you.”

She looked at me, hope in her eyes. “And?”

“I don’t know.” I admitted. “I’m scared Sam. We talked about the unknown druid together. Any one of those times you could’ve told me. I wouldn’t have turned my back on you.”

“I couldn’t Stiles. I couldn’t risk it.” She looked at him tears welling up in her eyes. “You and Scott are literally the only things tying me to sanity. You two are my anchors. Have been since the day you were born and the day we met Scott. I couldn’t risk it. I wanted to tell you so fricking bad but I couldn’t. I tried. I really did. But my mind wouldn’t let me risk your lives. And I’m sorry for that. But I’m not going to change it. I need the two of you safe. Or I’d lose it.”

I sat there in shock before getting up and hurrying over to hug her tightly. “I forgive you.” I whispered. “But please, never hide something from me again.”

She nodded. “Deal. Now we should go downstairs and I’ll explain everything to everyone at once.”

I nodded, but didn’t let go.

She laughed. “You have to let go Sti.”

“They can wait. I want to hug my best friend.”

She chuckled and wrapped her arms around me tightly. “Thank you Stiles.”

I smiled and pressed my face into her neck and she did the same to me. “I will always love you.” I whispered. “You’re family.”

“Muintir.” She whispered.

I grinned. “Definitely.”

She pulled away again and this time I let her. “Come on weird one.”


	15. Story Time

Scott’s POV

We were all waiting in the living room when Stiles and Sam walked in.

“You alright?” I asked.

They both nodded and took seats on the loveseat we’d left open for them. I noticed they were holding hands but that’s not weird, Sam often needs a lot of physical contact after passing out. They sat down and I smiled slightly as they pressed together.

“So you’re a druid.” Derek said.

Sam nodded. “Since the day I was born.”

“And you lied about this because…?”

“I had to.”

“That’s not answer.”

“That’s all you’re going to get.”

“What can you tell us?” Isaac asked. “Can you tell us about you? And your past?”

She glanced at him and then resettled on Derek. “I’ll ask that you not interrupt.”

He nodded.

She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then began.

“My name legally in the human world is Samantha Ulric. But my true, druid name is something else. I cannot tell you what as it has power over me and so I keep it close to my heart. I prefer to be called Sam and if you call me something else it better be good and if you call me Samantha I can, and will, snap your neck. And then heal you so I can snap it again. I am a Druid from the line of Ulric. I follow the path of Allujah. I am trained to fight in every circumstance, with whatever is available. I can fight with or without my magic and actually prefer to fight without. I grew up with my mother teaching me the basics of being a druid. How to control my power and make myself seem human. I also hung out a lot with Stiles and his family became like a second set of parents to me. By five I was able to control myself enough to go to school and started kindergarten. Stiles and I met Scott there. We became the best of friends and I felt tied to them. When I told my mother what I was feeling she just smiled and told me that I should be happy to have found my permanent anchors. She explained what that meant and as I suck at that I’ll just repeat her words. ‘Every person in this world has another half. But for people like me and you, people who aren’t just human but something more, we have another person. Or in your case two. The tie us to our humanity. The give us the ability to control our power and use it for good. They are called an anchor. Without an anchor, we can’t use our full power without risking insanity. Some druids have died after losing their anchor, so you must protect them. They are what make you human. For the beginning of your life you were anchored to me, just like I was anchored to my mother before I met your father. As it’s dangerous to not have an anchor, we automatically anchor ourselves to a parent. They anchor us until we find a permanent one. I knew one day you’d find yours, but never did I think it’d be so soon.’ She told me that at age five. She also told me that because they were my anchors, I could tell them my secret. But she also told me that it would be dangerous for them, bringing them into our world. I made the decision then and there to protect those two boys with my life. Even though I knew it would mean lying. I hoped one day it’d be safe, but when I was ten, things changed. My dad was found dead by the forest, his throat ripped out. Mom and I, well we weren’t the same without dad. He was the human in the family, married into this world, and we weren’t the same without him around. My panic attacks got worse. I started having them at five when I started worrying about Stiles and Scott getting hurt. I never told you two, did I?” She looked between Stiles and I and continued. “I never said what caused my panic attacks. It was the thought of you two getting hurt. I used to have nightmares that one or both of you was hurt or injured or sometimes, actually a lot of the time, I would see you getting killed. A year after dad died mom made up her mind and we packed up the house and left. She couldn’t handle being in this town when it reminded her so much of dad. We moved to a small town in Georgia and we finished out my basic training. I was given an extra year to choose my path due to the violent nature of my dad’s death and the need to grieve. On my twelfth birthday a messenger from the Druid Council descended on our little home and I choose my path. I choose Allujah. I wanted to fight so I could protect people like my dad. And so my path began. Now to train for a druid path you must go to certain druids around the country and learn from them as well as other species. I was given my teachers and six months to say my goodbyes. Three months later I came home and found my mother lying on the kitchen floor, torn to shreds. I had lost the only family I had left. For the month following I hunted. I tracked down the wolf that had killed my mother and I killed it. Eventually. First I strung it up and made it feel the pain my mother felt as he tore her to shreds. I was found by druids with the body and hour after killing him. And I was sentenced. Druids may kill to protect, but we do not torture. For the torture I was to pay penance. I was to go around tracking rogues, rabids, feral ones while I completed my path’s training. There are other parts, but you don’t need to know them. I pay for my crimes. Two years ago when I turned sixteen, I completed my training and came into the full of my power. And we realized just how vast it is. I was named a High Druid that day.”

I saw Stiles and Lydia’s eyes both widen at that and figured it was important.

“And then last year I felt pain sear through me and knew what was happening. I felt the bite burn through Scott and change him. I knew that if Scott was involved, so was Stiles. And I turned towards home. My debt was paid and I wanted my life back to some semblance of normal. A week later I was captured by a group of druids who’d killed the ultimate sacrifices and taken enough power into their selves to fight me. I was bound in druid chains and tortured like I tortured the wolf. The druids believed I wasn’t punished enough for my crimes. When they felt I’d suffered enough for my crimes they sold me to people who wanted to study me. And then those people tortured me. I was tortured for almost a year in total. And then I felt something calling to me. I didn’t know it at the time but that was the night Lydia called Jackson back from his kanima form. I felt the love and strength rush through both Scott and Stiles and it gave me the strength to break free. But I was still week and it took me a bit to heal and get here. The night I arrived I felt panic from Stiles and tracked him through the forest. Instinct took over and I took out the squatch for threatening human life. And then I helped Isaac find the boneyard because I couldn’t kill him myself without revealing myself. I still had the deep set urge to protect Stiles and Scott but stay hidden from them. But it’s out now and I intend to use my powers to protect them and this pack, if you allow me to stay. If you want me to leave I will, but I want to stay.” She stopped talking and we all waited in silence for Derek’s answer.

“As a High Druid, what are your powers?”

“Good healing.” She started.

“Wait, then why did you need us for Stiles?” Jackson asked.

She sighed. “I’m weak right now. I’m still healing myself from the torture and my magic isn’t very strong.” She waited for another question but when none came she continued. “Fighting. I’ve proved that to be a nice skill of mine. I can also hear the forest and talk to it. I can feel and sometimes even see the bonds between members of this pack. I could order any supernatural being to do as I wanted and bend them to my will if I wished, but I don’t. I am also a master of all forms of magic. And I have wings on occasion.”

“On occasion?” Stiles asked, looking at her back. “Where are the rest of the time?”

“There.” She answered. “But they’re magic. I keep them mostly in the realms so they are out of the way.”

“You’re a master of all magics?” Lydia asked.

She nodded. “A requirement for me as I have power with them all.”

“Could you train us?” Lydia asked excitedly. “When you told us you could only teach the basics, that was lie, wasn’t it?”

Sam nodded. “I couldn’t reveal my powers without raising suspicion. And yes, I could teach you. All of you.”

“All?” Derek asked. “There are only two.”

“There are three.” Sam corrected. “Lydia, Danny, and Stiles.”

We all looked sharply at her.

“Me?” Stiles said.

“It’s faint.” She said. “But there. It could easily be cultivated to a great power.”

Stiles looked thoughtful. “What does it take? Training?”

“Well none of you are born druids, just a witch and a couple warlocks, so it wouldn’t be as hard as my training was. The usual training is a year and a day long but that’s by a specialized teacher and they’re usually a witch or warlock. You would be done a lot faster. Probably.”

Lydia looked at Derek. “We’re keeping her.”

He seemed a little shocked and we all chuckled.

“It’s Derek’s decision Lydia.” Sam said, looking at Derek. “And his alone as the alpha.”

Derek didn’t say anything for a moment and then he took a deep breath, breathing it out slowly. “Why do not smell like a druid? I’ve met some, my mother was friends with some. They smelled distinct. You do not.”

Sam raised her hand and shook a bracelet out from underneath her long sleeve shirt, I noticed she always wears long sleeves, why is that?

“This bracelet hides my scent.” Sam said. My attention shot back to the bracelet and I looked at it. It looked like a simple charm bracelet, without any charms.

“There are tiny runes etched into each and every piece of it.” Sam explained. “It’s druid made and filled with power. It’s the only thing that could put a damper on my power. I created it when I was sixteen. It pushes my magic deeper inside me, not allowing it to fester in my smell. It makes me weaker but I’m still more than a good enough match for anything that comes my way. In the forest I don’t just make my scent human, I got rid of it. It’s an easy enough spell if you have the willpower.”

“And you do?” Derek said.

Sam smiled. “Will is my greatest power.”

“And the increased senses and strength?” He asked. “Last I knew druids don’t have those.”

“No. But there is a spell to enhance them. Or, in cases like mine, if you follow certain paths of druids who hunt rogues and rabids, you can absorb attributes from the things you kill. In the past I have killed wolves. I took the senses and the speed and the strength.”

“And?” He prodded.

She smiled, showing fangs. “That’s it from wolves. I killed some sort of cat thing one time though, so I took that thing’s stealth and claws.” She raised her hand and uncurled her fingers, showing cat-like claws. “Also I killed a kanima at one point so I have that thing’s claws and poison as options to. They come in handy. Took the healing off that kanima. It’s great, and controllable so I don’t raise suspicions if I’m in an accident.”

“Anything else?”

She shrugged. “Not particularly. I can flash my eyes the color of an alpha, but I don’t like doing that. It’s weird.”

There was silence as Derek thought over everything. Then he took a deep, slow breath and let it out in a sigh.

“Fine. You may stay. We will train those three in their magics but if it detracts from their school work, it stops.”

We all laughed at the thought of any of those three failing any classes and Derek smiled slightly. “Covering the basics. He said. “Also, you will continue to instruct the entire pack in how to control their wolves. It is a necessary skill to have and you seem adapt at teaching it.”

“So do you.” Sam said, hiding a smirk. Well not really hiding it but kind of.

Derek ignored her. “Also, you need to find a flat.”

“I know that.” Sam said. “I’m signing a lease tomorrow on a nice one not far from Stiles’s house.”

“Good. And the last thing is that if you know of something threatening this pack, you must tell us so we can get rid of it as a pack.

“Like you told them about the sign? I can tell the whole pack is dealing with that well. Almost like you didn’t tell them. Oh wait, you didn’t.”

“What sign?” Stiles asked. “What sign Derek?”

 

3rd Person POV

A little while later the pack was in stunned silence. Derek had told them everything. From the sign on the door to the fact that no one has ever survived a fight against these guys.

“We will be fine.” Derek finished. “We are strong and connected. They have no reason to kill us.”

“Except that their leader is a complete psychopath with homicidal tendencies.” Sam said. “Other than that we’re fine.”

“Thank you Sam. Now please shut up.”

“Are we going to die?” Erica asked.

“No.” Derek said firmly. “We will be fine. We are pack and we take care of our own.” He stood up. “Now let’s go. We still have training to do.”

The wolves all filed out, leaving Stiles, Sam, Lydia, Danny, and Allison sitting there.

“You haven’t said much today Allison.” Lydia observed. “What’s wrong?”

“Just worried.” She answered. “Dad’s been werid since Mom died.”

“I know how you feel.” Sam and Stiles said together. They smiled slightly at each other but kept their focus on Allison.

“We’re here if you want to talk. We’ll I’ll probably be at my flat but you know what I meant.” Sam said smiling.

Allison laughed. “Thanks.”

Sam flashed a smile. “Okay. Now I was told that the best people to take shopping are you two so we’re going shopping. I need some stuff and need opinions.”

Lydia and Allison grinned.

Sam looked at the boys. “Entertain yourselves. Stiles can you find a ride back to your jeep or do we need to take you?”

He shook his head. “Go.”

She looked at the girls, smile on her face. “Let’s go.”

And the three of them ran from the house, got into Allison’s car, and drove off, cheering happily and singing along to the radio.

Stiles looked at Danny. “I’m terrified now.”

“Why?”

“Those three could easily make my life a living hell. Throw Erica in there to and I’d be screwed.”

Danny laughed. “Dude you made friends with Sam in the first place. As far as I can remember, you’ve always been screwed.”

Stiles didn’t say anything in response, just did the mature thing and threw a pillow at him.


	16. Nightmares

Stiles’s POV

I woke up to something pressing against my back and the sound of crying. I rolled over in the arms that were now wrapped around me and found Sam at my back. She was shaking and her face was covered in tears, her eyes bleary and filled with tears.

“Sam?” I whispered. “Sam what’s wrong?”

“Nightmare.” She whispered. “Woke up and panicked. Can I stay here?”

I nodded and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against me. “Always. You’re always welcome here.”

She snuggled up against me, tucking her face against my chest. “Don’t ever leave me. Please. I can’t-” her voice broke with s ob.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I said. “I promise. I’ll always be here. I’ll always be there for you.”

She just tightened her grip around my waist and cried into my chest. I rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. This’ll probably be a long night.

“Muintir.” I heard her whisper. I smiled. It means something along the lines of family but it’s deeper than that. She used to say it all the time after her panic attacks.

“Family.” I whispered back.

She tightened her grip, but I knew she was starting to come back again.

 

_I was standing in the forest, surrounded by the trees. I could smell blood, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. There was a whimper behind me and I turned to see a wolf cub on the forest floor. I stumbled over and fell to my knees beside it. I was shocked and horrified as I got a closer look at it and saw that it was emaciated and chucks of its fur were missing. I reached my hand out cautiously and it turned its head to look at me. It’s brown eyes were dull and lifeless, like it was already almost dead._

_“I’m not going to hurt you.” I whispered._

_It tried to stand but its legs were too weak to hold it up and it fell again. I reached out for it again, closer this time, and it stretched its neck to nuzzle my hand. I wrapped my hands around it and pulled it to my chest, where it rubbed against me. I could feel each and every bone in its body as they all stuck me while he tried to comfortable._

_“How sweet.” A female voice sneered. “The little wolf found its mate.”_

_The little cub growled and tried to get out of my grip to protect me, but it was too weak._

_“Leave him alone.” I demanded._

_“Why?” The voice asked. “He’s going to die and there’s nothing you can do about it.”_

_I growled. “I can damn well do something.”_

_“No you can’t. Look. There he goes now.”_

_I looked down at the little wolf, who was looking back at me. He nuzzled my jaw once and then his eyes slipped closed._

_“No.” I whispered. “No come back. Please. Please come back.”_

_The little wolf went limp in my arms and I felt tears running down my face._

_“No.” I whispered. “No. No. No.”_

_“There’s nothing you can do human.” The voice sneered. “Because that’s all you are. A weak, useless, fragile little human.”_

_The wolf vanished and I was alone in the forest. The darkness pressed in on me and I felt my throat constrict. I couldn’t breathe. I scrabbled back, trying to calm down and breathe but I couldn’t get any breath in. Just as everything went black, I heard the voice one more time._

_“Run cowards. Run or die.”_

 

“Stiles!” I heard. “Stiles wake up! Stiles please wake up!” I recognized the voice now. It was Sam. I concentrated on her voice and pulled myself out of the dreams.

“Sam.” I gasped.

“Oh thank god.” She said, throwing herself over me, hugging me tightly in relief. Then she pulled away, sitting up again. “You had a nightmare, didn’t you?”

I nodded. “It was  awful. Well first it was good, then it was scary, then it was gut-wrenchingly terrible.”

“I thought so. I had one to.”

“And you came in here.”

She nodded. “I had a panic attack and needed to be next to you.”

I smiled and set my hand on her arm, knowing her touch would help chase away the last of the dream. “Do you need to talk?”

She shook her head. “No. But the pack does.”

I was confused but she just pointed to my phone. I grabbed it and looked at the messages. I had some from almost everyone.

 

_From: Scott_

_Dude are you ok? Pls b ok_

_From: Golden Pup_

_Stiles. Are you alright?_

_From: Katniss_

_Stiles are you alright? I need to know that you’re alright_

_From: Lyds_

_Stiles please tell me you’re alright._

_From: Danny_

_Stiles? Are you alright? Please be alright._

_From: Catwoman_

_Stiles you better be alright or I will kill someone_

_From: Jackson_

_Look. You better be okay._

 

I looked at Sam. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know.” She admitted. “But I called Derek and asked him to call an emergency pack meeting at noon. I have an idea, but everyone should hope I’m wrong.”

“Why?” I asked.

She looked at me, fear and sadness clear in her eyes. “Because otherwise we could all die.”

 

Two hours later her and I pulled up in her car, she insisted on driving, and got out. Immediately I was tackled by wolves plus the humans. I noticed the only ones not hugging me were Derek, Boyd and Peter, who were standing on the porch instead.

“What’s going on?” I asked, as Erica hugged me tightly and sniffed at my neck. “Not that I don’t love you all but what is going on?”

“Just let them.” Sam said. “They need reassurance that you’re alright. Like I had to know you were alright.”

I nodded and stood there, letting all the wolves sniff me and the humans hug me tightly. Then they bundled me towards the house.

“Where have you been Peter?” I asked, looking at him.

“I was needed elsewhere. Although I heard you had an eventful two weeks while I was away.” He said the bit looking at Sam, who was digging around in the trunk of her car.

I smiled. “Don’t try anything Peter. She’d kill you before you even finished growing claws.”

“He’s right.” Sam called, slamming the trunk down and walking over with a duffel bag. “Inside. Everyone. Now.”

We all immediately moved towards the door at the cold tone in her voice. This is serious.

“What’s going on?” I heard Derek demand.

“As soon as I know I’ll tell you. But just hope that the hunch I have is wrong, or we could all die.”

I gulped and saw the wolves do the same. If I heard it, they definitely did. I wonder what’s going on.

We all ended up puppy piling on the floor as none of them wanted to get more than a few feet away from me.

“Sam.” I said.

“Yea?”

“Please tell me you have an explanation for why I have most of a wolf pack puppy piling with me.”

She laughed and sat on the couch across the room from me. Derek sat in his chair and Peter and Boyd took opposite ends of the other couch.

“Alright.” Derek said. “What’s going on?”

“Give me a moment.” Sam said. “First off, how many of you had nightmares last night?”

Everyone raised their hands, even Peter and Derek.

“And how many of you dreamt of Stiles dying?”

All the people piling with me raised their hands.

“And what happened?”

“He died.” Scott whispered, after a moment of silence. “I saw him ripped to shreds and I couldn’t stop it.” He looked at Allison. “You too. You were there. You were first. And then him.”

Allison nodded. “I was forced to shoot you and him as well as my dad by Gerard and Kate. I couldn’t see them but I kept hearing them whisper to me.” She admitted softly.

“I was locked in the freezer.” Isaac admitted, his voice quiet and afraid. “And then Stiles opened it and I couldn’t stop myself. I ripped his throat out because I thought he was my dad.”

“I blew him up.” Lydia added. “It was an accident. He was helping me with something and I did something wrong. And it blew up.”

“I crushed him on the lacrosse field.” Jackson said. “It was practice and I lost control and I crushed him. I felt him die.”

“I killed him.” Erica said. “I lost control and I killed him on the night of the full moon.”

“I watched the kanima kill him.” Danny whispered. “It killed him slowly and painfully, stripping his flesh from his bones while he screamed and then when he was begging for death, begging for anything but the pain, it slashed his throat. I could finally get to him and I ran to his side and I tried to save him but there was nothing I could do. He died in my arms.”

There was silence for a moment. And then I spoke up.

“So you all had dreams that I died or you killed me? That’s why you’ve been so protective. Don’t worry guys, I know I’m safe with you. I mean I am under a bunch of you right now.” I smiled reassuringly and looked at Sam. “The dreams, what do they mean?”

She didn’t respond, just looked at Boyd. “Boyd, who died in your dream?”

“Erica.” He whispered. “I watched a wolf slash her throat.”

“Peter?” She asked, looking at him.

“I saw my wife burning in the basement.”

“Derek?” She said.

Derek didn’t say anything.

She sighed. “Fine. I won’t make you tell.” She thought for a moment before opening her bag and pulling out a box. “Sorry about this wolves.” Then she opened the box and all the wolves starting coughing.

“What is that?!” Scott asked, sounding hoarse like he couldn’t breathe.

“It won’t do anything Derek stop growling at me.” Sam said. I noticed that he had been but he stopped when she said that. “It’s just old and musty.”

“That is not musty. That is rotten and disgusting.” Isaac said. His voice was muffled and I looked to see that he had pressed his face against the blanket he was near to try and block the smell.

“Well sorry but it’s the only way this is going to work.” Sam snapped. She pulled out a splinter of wood and held it in her hand. “I have an idea as to what could’ve caused this and I’d _really_ like for it not to be true so we’re going to test it and see.”

The piece of wood ignited in her hand I noticed Derek stiffen slightly before a forced looking relax took over again.

The piece of wood turned to ash in her hand and she held it out to us. “Let’s hope this doesn’t work.” She blew across the ash, blowing it off her hand. It flew around the room and stuck to everyone, including Sam.

“What is this?” I asked, looking at my ash covered arms.

“Oak ash.” Sam answered. “The wood was cut from a thousand year old oak in another realm. Very potent magic qualities. And now, I know for sure what this is.”

“And?” Derek asked, looking up from his own, ashy arms.

“And we’re screwed.” Sam declared. “Screwed to hell and below.”


	17. Preparing

Scott’s POV

“What is it?” Derek demanded.

“A spell. And a bloody strong one.” Sam said. She jumped to her feet and started pacing.

“What does it do?” I asked quietly.

“Makes everyone see one of their worst nightmares. We each watched something that would scar us, possibly forever, if it actually happened. Stiles is human and as a human he is at the center of the pack mind. All that you have would protect him. Your wolves inside you want him to be safe. So all of you saw him die by your hand or by someone else’s when you couldn’t stop it. Scott saw Allison and Scott get killed because he’d fight for them both. Allison saw herself shoot Scott, Stiles, and her dad because of what she almost did. Each of you fears what you saw.”

“What about me?” Stiles asked. “I didn’t watch anyone die.”

“Yours was different Stiles. Yours wasn’t a fear, it was the center. As you are the center of the pack your dream was the center of the set. You didn’t watch those you love most die, because you weren’t the target. The pack was.”

“Why?” Isaac asked. “It doesn’t make much sense.”

“It makes perfect sense.” Sam said.

“Explain.” Derek demanded.

“Think about it. What better way to find the center of the pack, the one the most people would kill for than to make them dream it. And then watch. By now whoever cast that spell knows Stiles is the most important person in this pack and that he is our soft spot.”

“Then we protect him.” I declared. “I’m not losing him.” I looked at Derek. “I’m not.”

Derek nodded. “Someone should be with him at all times.”

Sam stood up and pulled something out of her pocket. It was a small box, about the size of a ring box. She opened it, pulled out a piece of paper, shut it, and handed it to Stiles. “Hold that for a second would you?” She held the paper out to Derek. “I need to find this.”

He took the paper and looked at it. “What is it?”

“A druid medallion.” Sam answered. “Powerful beyond belief if you know what you’re doing.”

“You mentioned it when you got here. It’s important to this?”

“Yes. If whoever cast this spell finds that, or has it already, they can use it to summon anything they want to this realm. Most likely it’ll be a demon. And I hate those.”

“So basically if this person gets their hands on this were screwed?” Lydia asked.

“We’re screwed anyways.” Sam said. “If they find this, and summons a demon, we probably become dead.”

“Then we find it.” Derek said. “Do you have any idea where it could be?”

“Well I buried it on your land ten years ago, but unfortunately I already looked there and it’s gone.”

“You buried it on my land?” Derek asked, seeming shocked.

“Your mother gave me permission. Everyone respected Talia, I figured it would be safe. I didn’t tell anyone but her about it. Not even mum knew.”

“Sam?” Peter asked thoughtfully.

“What?” She asked, looking at him.

“What did you dream?”

She smiled softly. “What I saw is irrelevant. I am not a part of this pack. I am not a target. I do not matter.”

“You do to me.” Stiles said.

She laughed. “I know that darling. But I don’t matter to whoever is behind this. To them I’m a human. Nothing more than a human. They don’t see me as a threat.”

“Who’s strong enough to do this?” Danny asked. “You said that medallion has immense power but who could perform a spell that big, on a pack this strong. And on you.”

“No one good. It affected me through Stiles as he’s my anchor.” Sam said. “Only time can tell. Until then, I suggest no one sleeps alone. Preferably sleep next to your anchor. If you can’t manage that, sleep with as many members of the pack as possible. Stiles, will your dad mind if I stay at yours? I’ve got my flat now but I think I need to stay near you.”

“Course.” Stiles said. “He won’t mind. You should probably tell him you’re not human though because right now I think he’s feeling guilty about hiding it.”

Sam laughed. “Thank you. The rest of you, try not to sleep alone. We’ve got two weeks to figure this out.”

“Two weeks?” I asked. “What happens in two weeks?”

“We have junior year.” Sam said smiling. “And surprisingly enough school does take up a lot of research time.”

Stiles laughed. He pulled his arm out from under me and reached out above his head to wrap his hand around her ankle.

“Speaking of which.” Derek said. “Isaac, Erica, and Boyd, do I still have to take you school shopping or are you done?”

“I need some more stuff.” Isaac said.

“I need new clothes.” Erica declared.

“I’m good.” Boyd said.

“Boyd’s my favorite right now.” Derek said, getting up. “We’ll go tomorrow. I’m going to the store because once again you ate all my food.” And then he left.

After a minute, Sam looked down at Stiles and I and frowned. “I get the feeling he doesn’t like me.”

 

A few hours later Stiles, Sam, and I were in Stiles’s living room, and the two of them were playing COD. Sam was winning of course. Stiles was swearing up a storm and Sam was just laughing. The game finished and Stiles threw his controller down in a huff.

“I hate you.” He declared, throwing himself back into the couch.

Sam laughed. “Well then I guess I should make it up to you. I have your gifts. Both of yours.”

Stiles sat up. “Where is it?”

She smiled and pulled the wooden box from earlier out of her pocket and tossed it to him. Then she pulled a long, thin box from between the couch cushions and tossed it to me.

“I didn’t know what to get you at first, but then I remembered these and knew they would be perfect.”

I opened the box and I gasped softly in surprise. Inside was a leather bracelet with runes carved into it and in the middle there was a metal design sunk into the leather. It was a tree but intricate and complex in design. I could almost feel the power in it.

“This is amazing.” I said, looking up at her.

She smiled. “It’s magically reinforced so it will never break and the runes on it allow me to find you when you’re in danger. You seem to be the one who needs it.”

I smiled and looked at Stiles. “What’d she give you?”

He pulled out a ring. It was shaped like a class ring with a stone that looked like it was made of fire set into it and runes carved around it.

“Again, to help protect you. If either of you ever raises your item to your lips and calls for my help, I’ll come.”

Stiles slipped his ring onto his right hand and hugged her tightly. I set the bracelet aside and joined the hug.

“These are amazing.” I whispered.

She laughed. “I’m glad you like them.” She wrapped her arms around both of us and hugged us tightly. “Will you wear them?”

“Of course we will they are amazing and wonderful and given to us by the bestest druid best friend we could ask for.” Stiles said. “Why wouldn’t we wear them?”

Sam just laughed. “Good. I’m afraid boys. I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose my Muintir.”

I pressed my forehead to her neck. “We’re not going anywhere Sam. We’re family. We’re always going to be right here.”

“Yup. Right beside you.” Stiles affirmed.

Sam grinned. “Good. Now why don’t you get off me and I’ll go make dinner while Stiles revives his self-esteem and beats Scott at COD.”

“Hey!” I exclaimed. “He might not beat me!”

They both looked at me, glanced at each other, and then back at me.

“Okay.” I conceded. “He’ll beat me.”

 

3rd Person POV

“What can you tell me about her Deaton?” Derek asked. He was sitting in the examination room, watching Deaton set a dog’s leg.

“Not much.” Deaton said. “I’m not privy to any sort of information from her. She’s a High Druid and I’m just an emissary Derek. I have no power. I can tell you though that her admitting to you that Scott and Stiles are her anchors shows great trust in you and in your pack. Knowing a druid’s anchor puts them at a disadvantage. You could make her do anything just by threatening those boys. She gave you the ultimate power over Derek. I think you can trust her.”

“He’s right.” Sam’s voice said from the door. “Sorry Doctor Deaton the doors were unlocked.

“Sam.” He said. “It’s good to see you again.” He bowed slightly to show respect.

“And you Emissary.” She gave him a nod in return and moved over to the table where the dog was lying.

“You finally came into your power I see.” Deaton said, finishing up the cast on the dog’s leg.

Sam smiled. “Yes. When I finished. You were right, I did have something hidden from me.”

Deaton smiled. “I just sensed something was there. I didn’t know it was the great power of a High Druid.”

“What’s going on here?” Derek asked.

“Deaton was a mentor to me when I was young. He assisted my mother in teaching me the basics.”

“So you’re a druid to?” Derek asked, looking at Deaton.

“Emissary.” Deaton corrected.

“Emissaries are humans trained in a path of druids.” Sam explained. “All big packs have them. They keep them grounded to nature and life so the wolves don’t overwhelm them.”

“I was your mother’s emissary.” Deaton explained. “I trained in a healing path when I was young and went to vet school for a cover.”

Derek sighed and dropped his head to his hands. “Everything I know is wrong.”

Sam smiled. “No. It’s not all wrong. I know your pack cares about you. I could feel the worry rolling off of them today when we were talking about the dreams and you didn’t say anything. I know that although you don’t exactly know how to show it, you care about them. You took Isaac and Erica and Boyd in not because they were easy marks to convince, but because you saw yourself in them. The lonely little wolf wandering alone without a pack and without a hope. All you wanted was a pack again. A family. And you have that now. And yea maybe it’s unconventional and maybe you almost die every other week, it’s still your family. Your pack. And I know that no matter what, you will remain that way for a long time to come.”

Derek looked up at her. “How?”

She smiled. “I’m a High Druid Derek. It’s what I do. I make people better. And I heal old wounds.”

Derek didn’t say anything for a moment and then dropped his gaze. “Last night I didn’t dream that the pack died.” He whispered. “I dreamt that they left. That they finally realized that I’m a crap alpha and left. They found a new pack and I was alone again.”

Sam didn’t say anything, just walked over and knelt in front of him. “Do you trust me Derek?”

He looked up at her and nodded slowly. “Scott’s proven to have a good judge of character.”

She smiled and reached down to wrist. She unhooked the bracelet and Derek reeled slightly at the smell she was giving off.

“You smell like the forest.” He whispered.

“I am the forest. Now give me your hand.” She held out her hand and waited.

“Why?”

“I’m going to prove to you why you deserve this pack.”

Derek hesitated for a moment before placing his hand in hers. He gasped as he was flooded with feelings and memories.

“This is your pack Derek.” Sam whispered. “Feel it.”

He took a deep, shuddering breath and concentrate. He sorted through all the thoughts and feelings and was shocked when he found what they thought of him. They trust him. They love him. They want to follow him. They just wish he could be happier. That’s all they want from him. They want to see him try and be happy.

He pulled his arm back and it instantly stopped.

“Do you understand them now? Are you still worried that they’ll leave you?”

Derek nodded. “But not as much. It would take a lot for them to leave me.”

Sam smiled. “Good.” She stood up and looked at Deaton. “I came here to ask you to get ready. Stock up on supplies. Order shipments if you need to. Derek or I can pay for it all if your can’t. I don’t know what’s coming, but it’s not going to be good.”

 

Stiles’s POV

The next morning, Sam and I rolled out of my bed together and get ready in silence. I’d had the same dream again and once again she’s woke me up.

“You need an anchor.” She whispered as we went downstairs, speaking for the first time since we both said good morning.

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter. You just need someone you love and trust to bring you back from those.”

“Like you?”

She smiled. “If you wish.” She looked at the clock and sighed. “Come on. We can’t be late for training. Derek and I decided last night that we need to move training along as fast as possible so we’re ready for whatever being comes for us.”

“When did you talk to Derek?”

“Last night. He was at Deaton’s when I went to tell him to get ready.”

“Are we preparing for war Sam?” I asked. “Because it sure seems like it.”

She looked at me, her eyes sad. “I honestly don’t know Stiles. I just don’t know.”


	18. Girl Talk

Lydia’s POV (because I can)

“So how do we start our training?” I asked Sam.

She lifted her head off Stiles’s lap and looked at me. “The ceremony to make it official is on the full moon. So we’ve got a week.”

“Do we need anything?” I asked.

“You should wear something nice, preferably something that represents you and your magic. So you, Lydia, should wear something dark, preferably black, and kinda fancy. Danny, you should wear something comfortable and earthy colors. And Stiles,” she looked up at him, “you’re going to wear what I put you in.”

I smiled as he just rolled his eyes.

“As if I’d do anything else.” He said, a grin on his face.

“Would you four shut up?!” Derek shouted. “We are trying to sink them down!”

Sam just rolled her eyes and blew a huge raspberry at him. He glared and we all laughed at him. We stopped being scared of that glare a long time ago. The wolves have been trying all morning to completely go into a trance and converse with their wolves. Since we started I’m the only one whose reached my power and felt it. Danny has seen his and Stiles as well. But the wolves can’t seem to manage to find their selves. So Derek took over and is training them on it. And it’s still not going well.

“Is there anything we can do in the meantime?” Danny asked.

Sam smiled and got to her feet. “Come with me.” She pulled Stiles to his feet and the two of them headed for the forest. Danny and I looked at each other and hurried after them. Sam led us to a huge tree and stopped in front of it.

“Find it.” She ordered.

“What?” Stiles asked.

“Find it. Reach out with your magic and find the tree. Danny you can latch on to it, but make sure you can get free. Lydia, just look at it. Until you get perfect control it would be dangerous for the tree.”

I nodded. I tried making a flower bloom the other day, because it’s a basic trick and I should be able to, and ended up killing an entire section of grass.

“This is an old tree.” Sam said. “It would take a lot to hurt him. And he’s willing to help. So begin.”

“How?” Danny asked.

“Good. Always ask when you don’t know. Especially when it comes to magic. First go into yourself. Look at your magic and make sure it’s under control. Then turn outwards. It’s the same concept, just in reverse. Instead of looking in you’re going to look out. Look all around you, but do not use your eyes. Find it with your magic and your heart.”

I nodded and closed my eyes. I dove deep inside me and followed the usual path through the forest of my mind to my magic. It was in the shape of a wolf usually, but today it was a tree, standing tall in the center of a clearing, glowing brightly of dark light. I got closer and looked it over. It seemed calm enough, so I turned and left my mind, reaching out. I could hear the others around me, breathing deeply in time with me. Except Sam. She was whistling. She said she does it to distract us if we lose our grip but it also seems to help us come back from our minds. We latch onto the sound and follow it out.

I reached out, trying to find the tree. I knew where it was in relevance to me but I couldn’t find it with my magic. I dove back into my mind and saw the tree had shed its leaves, leaving a bed of leaves around the tree. I reached out on instinct and picked up a leaf, turning and leaving again. I blew the leaf off my hand as I reached out I felt something. There was a flash of pure, white light before I felt my magic snap back to me.

“That’s enough.” Sam said, snapping us out of our heads.

“How long were we out?” Danny asked.

“Two hours.” She answered. “Derek’s calling it for the day. He’s got to take his three school supplies shopping and I know Scott and Stiles need to as well so we’ll probably go as a group.”

“I don’t need any more school supplies!” Stiles protested.

“You have two notebooks in your entire house that aren’t covered in notes already Stiles. And you know I won’t get Scott to go without you going to.”

Stiles sighed. “Fine.” Then he grabbed Danny and tugged him away.

I looked at Sam. “You are amazing.”

She laughed. “Just have to know him. Then he’s easy.”

I grinned. “I know. I’ve had him wrapped around my finger for years. It was quite funny at first. Not so much anymore.” I admitted it easily.

She smiled. “You seem like you need to talk Lydia.”

I smiled softly. “You have no idea.”

“Well if you’re going to be in my coven, you should know that I’m always here to talk if you need to. I may not know much about humans or high school, but I can listen. That I’m good at.”

“Yea I remember you and Stiles when we were younger. He was always talking nonsense but you’d listen to every word. Guess it makes sense now knowing he’s your anchor and everything.”

She smiled. “Our parents always used to tease us that if they put us together they’d get a normal person. I was reserved, still am really, and he’s outgoing. He likes to talk, I love to listen. He was always hyper and bouncing around while I was calm. We were opposites but we fit together easily that way. He pulled me out a bit and I helped him calm down a bit. I guess me leaving didn’t do him any favors in that department though. Scott is just as spazzy as Stiles sometimes.”

I laughed. “I might take you up on that sometime.”

She smiled. “And if you want it to be private, I can do a silencing charm so no one outside the room we were in could hear.”

I looked at her in shock. “Really? So we could talk in the pack house without the wolves hearing?”

She nodded. “Why do you think I memorized it? I learned it from a teenage boy in a house of druids, all of whom had super hearing. You find ways to get at least a little privacy.”

I laughed. “Thank you Sam. We’re not the most trusting of people, but I’m glad Derek let you in. We needed another girl.”

She smiled. “Anytime Lydia. I mean it.” Her head shot away, towards the house, and she sighed. “Come on. We gotta get going.”

 

An hour later the girls had ditched the guys and headed for Macy’s.

“Derek won’t kill Stiles, will he?” Sam asked.

I shook my head. “He might push him against a wall but that’s normal. He won’t bruise him.”

“I think he’s scared of you.” Allison said. She’d met us at the mall after finishing training with her dad.

“Why?” She asked.

“You have Scott and Stiles. You have magic. You have Lydia and Danny. You could take his pack and tear it apart. He doesn’t want to make you mad.” Allison explained.

“I’d never do that.” She said. “It’s against everything I believe in. If he makes me mad, I’d just leave.”

“You could just cut ties and up and leave again?” I asked.

“No. But I’d do it for Stiles. He needs this pack and I won’t take it from him. Ever.”

Allison and I looked at each other and back at her.

“You really have no idea what you mean to him, do you?” Allison asked.

She looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“Stiles would rather lose every single one of us than see you walk away again. And from what I know about you, you’d make it a clean cut. Yell at him or something to try and make it easier. And all that would do is break him more. You’ve said it yourself. He’s loyal to a fault. You are his best friend besides Scott, sometimes I think even better than Scott. You two fit together easily but not in a romantic way. It’s like twins. You complete each other’s weirdness.” I said it forcefully, hoping to make her see what leaving would do to.

“You care about him.” She said.

“I was never in love with him.” I said, rolling my eyes. “But he’s pack and I love him to death. And beyond probably with my skills.”

“She’s right.” Allison said, backing me up. “Stiles loves you. Don’t ever leave him again.”

Sam smiled. “Alright, now, what the hell am I supposed to wear the first day of school? And be forewarned, I do not wear skirts.”

“But you’d look great in one!” I protested.

“No.” She insisted. “I will give you the satisfaction of seeing me get one though.”

I grinned and she smiled back.

“Also, I do not look good in orange.” She added.

Allison and I laughed at that.

“No one looks good in orange.” Allison said.

Sam nodded. “I agree.”

I pulled out a dark blue skirt with waves on it and threw it to her. “You’re trying that on.” I threw a black top and silver shoes at her as well. “With those.”

She smiled. “Deal.”

“Good. Now let’s find you some more and we’ll head to the dressing room. And you’re spending the night at my house before the first day so I can get you ready in the morning. It’s not often I get to work magic on the new girl.”

She rolled her eyes. “Only if you do it to Allison to.”

“Deal.” Ally and I said together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter on the way tonight!


	19. Bad News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not up as fast as I'd wanted to but work went longer than expected today:/ here you go though! Enjoy!

3rd Person POV

The next night Sam woke up in the guest bedroom at Stiles’s house with pain shooting through her. She choked back her scream and took inventory. There was nothing wrong with her. Then she remembered, she’s connected to others now. She turned her attention in and looked at everything. She could see the pain was coming from a member of the pack, but she couldn’t tell who, the pain was making it too hard to concentrate. So she did the only thing she could do. She shut down her connection to the back, blocking the pain, and got out of bed. She pulled sweats on, put her hair up, and slipped out the window, racing into the woods. She let enough of the connection through to track it, but she still couldn’t figure out who it was. And then she heard the scream. A scream she recognized from a couple days before when Boyd accidently lost his cool during training and broke Isaac’s arm. She’d had to put it back together so it could heal. She kicked it up a notch and tore through the forest.

She shot into a clearing just in time to sense five figures vanishing from her range. She growled and looked around.

“Isaac?” She called. “Where are you?”

She walked around the oak tree growing in the center of the clearing and looked for him.

“Isaac!” She called again. He still didn’t answer so she closed her eyes and looked inside, finding Isaac’s thread in her mind and following it. It led straight back so she turned around and gasped. It led to the tree. Isaac was inside the tree. She felt rage rise up inside her but clamped down on it. This is dangerous. She could easily kill him if she loses control. She stripped off her sweatshirt, leaving her in a thin long sleeve shirt, sat down cross-legged, pulled her bracelet off, and closed her eyes. She dove deep within herself, gathering her magic and pulling it the surface, letting it simmer under her skin. If anyone saw her now they’d see what little skin she was showing was faintly glowing bright silver and slightly sparkling. And then, as the faint glow brightened, designs of swirls and patterns shined through the shirt. There were waves and vines and breezes and animals shining through the shirt, all down her arms, covering her chest and back, and stretching up onto her neck as well. Visible on her neck was a spiral sort of resembling a burst of wind on one side and a bird on the other side. Her eyes slid open and they were fully silver, no pupil or whites showing. She raised her hands up and held them out in front of her, palms facing away and fingers pointing up. Then, she pulled them to her shoulders and froze. She took one more breath and threw her hands forward, screaming. Bright light shot from her hands towards the tree and everything went white for a moment before it died and she was left breathing heavy and staring at Isaac.

She scrambled forward and touched him. “Isaac?”

His eyes flew open and he slashed out with his claws but she moved fast enough, pinning him to the ground and sitting on his chest. His breathing was fast and she could hear his heart beat skipping. He was having a panic attack.

“ISAAC!” She screamed. He froze and she quickly got off of him. She didn’t know what triggered it but she didn’t want to make it worse. “Isaac.” She said quietly. “Can you hear me?”

He didn’t respond, just pulled his knees to his chest and starting crying. “I’m sorry.” He sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was scared. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

Sam moved forward again and touched his foot. “I’m alright Isaac. I swear.”

He jerked his head and kept crying. “Not alright. Never alright. Tried to kill you.”

“But you didn’t.” She said. “It’s alright. I’m alright.”

He kept crying and shaking and apologizing so Sam did what she thought might help. She reached out and slowly pried his hand from his leg, pulling it towards her. She pressed it against her stomach and took deep breaths, taking control of her body and forcing it to seem calm and not exhibit the panic she was feeling.

“Feel Isaac.” She whispered. “Feel my stomach. I’m fine. See? No cuts. No blood. You didn’t hurt me Isaac. I’m alright.”

He groped around her stomach for a moment before sobbing again, but this time it sounded like relief.

“I need you to match me Isaac.” She whispered. “Match my breaths. Listen to my heart beat. It’s all going to be alright. Come on faolan. Breathe with me Isaac.”

He kept sobbing but she could hear it slowing. He was calming down. He kept a hand on her stomach as she breathed, feeling her breaths as well as hearing them. He slowly regained control and looked up at her.

“How?” He whispered, his voice hoarse.

“I had them when I was younger.” She explained.

“No. You found me. How?”

She smiled slightly. “I could feel your pain and panic. It scared me. I couldn’t tell who it was from but came running anyways.”

He smiled. “I need the others.”

“I agree.” She declared. “But right now you need sleep so go ahead.”

He nodded and looked a little shamed. “Could I-?”

She cut him off with a smile and opened her arms. “Come here faolan.”

He threw himself into her arms and tucked is face against her neck.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

“No.” Sam said, cutting him off. “I know how it feels Isaac. There’s no reason to feel ashamed.”

“Your heart.” He whispered after a moment.

She smiled, her breathing picking up and her heart pounding. “I forced it to calm down while I calmed you down but now it’s catching up on the oxygen it didn’t have to panic.”

He chuckled. “Thank you.”

She pressed her hand to his back as he shifted to get comfortable. “Of course Isaac. That’s what pack is for.”

She pulled her phone out without jostling him and dialed Derek’s number.

“Hello?” Derek said, sounding annoyed when he picked up.

“What’s up?”

“It’s four in the morning and I can’t find Isaac.” He growled. “So what the hell do you want?”

“Well I have Isaac. He’s safe but asleep. He had a panic attack. Call another emergency meeting. There’s bad news. _Very_ bad news.”

 

The next morning Sam and Isaac were startled awake by Derek crashing into the clearing. Isaac scrambled to his feet, getting in his defensive stance half-shifted, and Sam was up in an instant, standing in front of him, hands glowing slightly. When they noticed it was Derek they both calmed down and Isaac hurried forward to hug Derek.

“Are you alright?” Derek whispered to him.

Isaac nodded against his alpha’s shoulder but Sam could smell the fresh tears in his eyes.

“He’s going to need the whole pack. And we need to talk.” Sam said.

Derek nodded and looked at Isaac, who was still plastered against him. “Isaac, can you find your way back to the house?”

Isaac nodded.

“Then go. The rest of the packs already there. I called them as soon as I got Sam’s call.”

Isaac nodded and ran off.

Derek looked at Sam. “What’s with the glowing?”

Sam glanced down and saw her hands were glowing again. She sighed. “I did a huge spell to free Isaac. It’s residual from it. It’ll fade away. And it’s not dangerous so we’re fine.”

“But why’d it get brighter when you stood in front of Isaac? And why’d Isaac let you stand in front of him in the first place?”

“Panic attacks mess with your mind Derek. I comforted him. I became his protector for a night. It makes sense you’re just freaking out still. And the glowing got brighter because I was gearing up to fight. But like I said, it’s safe.”

Derek still looked a bit uneasy so Sam turned and grabbed the bracelet off the forest floor where she’d left it the night before and pulled it on. “Better?”

He nodded. “What’s the bad news?”

“We’re not looking at a single witch. This size spell, with that good of a result, is almost impossible alone. It would take a High Druid.”

“Like you.”

“Yes. That’s how I was able to undo it. But they didn’t harm him at all. No wolfsbane. No bullets. No injuries. All they used was magic.”

“And that’s hard?”

“Very. Magic is like human strength. The stronger the thing you’re fighting, the more strength you need. To trap a werewolf like Isaac, someone trained to fight, is very difficult. And they’d have to keep that spell going while they grew the tree around him. Another very difficult thing to do.”

“So what’s your point?”

“We’re not dealing with a single witch here, running around by herself. Derek there’s a coven of witches here. And they want us dead.”


	20. Training

3rd Person POV

Derek and Sam walked into the living room a couple hours later, looking exhausted and worried. They did smile at what they found though. The pack was all asleep in a huge nest of blankets and pillows on the floor, Isaac at the center.

“I will say one thing, you have an amazing pack.” Sam whispered.

Derek smiled. “I know.”

“We need to get them up. They have to be told and training has to start. Now.”

Derek nodded. “I’ll get them.”

“I’ll go whip up some food so they don’t kill you for waking them up.” Sam said, turning away and heading for the kitchen.

Derek walked forward and started waking them up, one by one.

Once they were all awake he ushered the sleepy pack into the kitchen where they fell onto the eggs and bacon Sam had managed to whip up.

“Thank god for magic.” She whispered as she passed Derek with another round of eggs.

Derek laughed a bit and watched his pack eat. After they were done they all looked at him.

“Everyone to the living room.” He said, leaving the room. He went into the living room, sat in his chair, and watched his pack come back and sit down again. Sam stuck close to Stiles and Scott and Isaac stuck close to her so they ended up with her and Stiles on the loveseat with Scott leaning on the couch in front of her and Isaac in front of Stiles. Lydia, Jackson and Danny were on the long couch and Allison sat near Scott, her legs over his. Boyd and Erica were on the floor in the middle of the room.

“Where’s Peter?” Scott asked.

“Here.” Peter said, walking in and taking the other chair. “Now what’s going on nephew?”

Derek took a deep breath before beginning. “As you all probably know by now, Isaac as attacked last night and encased in a tree that was grown around him. Sam freed him and helped him, but she also has bad news on it.”

Everyone turned to Sam and she smiled weakily. “The spells used to both trap Isaac so he couldn’t fight back and the one to grow the tree are very complex. Only a fully trained and devout druid could do one of them. But both? Impossible for anyone other than a High Druid. Now as I know I’m the only one around here, we have a problem. I thought we were dealing with one rogue witch, but I was wrong. Last night as I approached the clearing I felt five beings flee. We’re dealing with a coven. And a strong one by the feel of those spells last night.”

“A coven?” Erica asked.

“A group of witches.” Lydia answered. “It’s like a pack for wolves. They’re stronger together.”

Sam nodded. “Exactly. Meaning the training we were doing to help you fight one witch is pretty much useless. They fight differently when they are with their coven than when they’re alone. So starting today we are changing it. I’m taking charge and we’re going to train as hard as we can in the way they fight, which is getting into your head. Literally. Most witches can project their voice into the head of another with the right spell. We’ll start one on one and then move to group fighting. One on one I’ll talk out loud with a sound block up so the others don’t hear. Group fighting I will project into your minds. Understood?”

Everyone looked at Derek and he nodded. “I’m going first. Let’s get started.”

The whole pack filtered outside and Sam stripped off her sweatshirt again, leaving her in sweatpants and her thin long sleeve shirt. She pushed the sleeves to the elbows as she always did and pulled her hair down to put it up again as it had been falling out.

“Just so we’re clear, nothing I say or do during training should be taken to heart. I’m just showing you how they fight.” Sam said, staring at Derek.

He nodded and pulled his jacket off, throwing it over the porch rail before vaulting over it and landing in the front lawn. “Let’s do this.”

Sam nodded and joined him on the lawn. She looked back at the pack and smiled slightly. “Stay on the porch. I don’t want to hurt you on accident.”

They all nodded and stepped away from the railing.

Sam turned back to Derek. “Let’s go.”

Derek shifted to his beta form and growled.

Sam snarled back, sounding animalistic but staying completely human. Derek lunged at her and she stepped aside.

“You’re getting slow.” She whispered, her voice low and snakey sounding. “So very slow.”

Derek answered with a growl and spun around, charging her again. She dodged again and flashed a sweet smile.

“Tsk tsk. You’re weak Derek. So very weak. No wonder this pack hates you. No wonder they want to leave.”

He let out a whine and attacked again. This time Sam didn’t dodge, she dropped to the ground and used his momentum to launch him into a tree.

“You’re weak Derek Hale!” She shouted. “Weak and useless!”

Derek got to his feet and growled, but didn’t attack.

“That’s right. Stay away. You know very well you can’t take me. You’re selfish. Just going to let them die? Like your family? Like your _sister_?!”

He growled and attacked, claws reaching out for her throat. She spun away and landed a kick to his head, knocking him off balance but he soon recovered.

“Weak.” She snarled. “Useless. Worthless. You are nothing Derek Hale. Absolutely nothing.”

Derek broke and launched himself at her, pinning her. She just laughed and flipped them, slamming him to the ground.

“You’re done.” She whispered, touching his neck, her voice calm and normal again. “You can’t let them get to you Derek. You can’t let them get inside your head.”

Derek looked up at her, breathing heavy. After a second he shifted back and glared at her.

“Let me go.” He growled.

Sam stood back and waved her hand. Derek jumped to his feet. “What did they hear?”

“Nothing. I put up a block, remember? They could hear our hearts and that was it. There is no need for them to know your soft spot.”

Derek relaxed. “Thank you.”

She nodded. “You know it now and you can begin to fight it. And Derek?”

“Yea?”

“None of them want to leave you. They all love you. And you’re not useless. Or weak. Or anything I said. You’re a good alpha.”

Derek nodded. “Who do you want next?”

“Can you do Scott? I can’t do that to him.”

Derek nodded. “Yea. And I know his spot so it’ll be fine.”

“Thank you. Send me Isaac and you and Scott can have that half of the yard.” She gestured to the other section of grass on the other side of the driveway.

Derek nodded and walked away.

Sam looked down at herself and took inventory. There were a few scratches in her sleeves, but nothing bad. Yet.

Isaac walked over and timidly stood in front of me. “I don’t know if I can do this.” He admitted.

Sam smiled. “Don’t worry faolan. I’m not going to break you like I just did Derek or we will with the others. You already know your soft spot. Where they can get into your head.”

“Why do they fight like this?”

“They get in your head and distract you to make you easier to kill.”

“What’s Derek’s soft spot?”

She smiled. “What’s yours?”

He looked over at the pack quickly.

“They can’t hear you.” She said. “Or me. Just our heartbeats so they know if something goes wrong.”

“Love.” He whispered. “I miss it. My dad wasn’t always an ass and I’ve always blamed myself for making him into what he was.”

Sam walked forward and hugged him. “It wasn’t your fault. Your brother’s death hit him hard and he couldn’t take it. When you’re ready, we can attack your soft spot. Or you can ask Derek to. But for today you and I are just going to fight.”

“You’re a lot nicer than Derek.”

Sam laughed. “He just wants you safe. He doesn’t know how to show it beyond making sure you’re safe by training you to protect yourself.”

Isaac nodded. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Attack me.” Sam ordered, stepping back. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Isaac lunged at her and they fell into the rhythm of the fight. Within a minute Isaac slipped up and Sam slammed him to the ground. She smiled down at him and stepped back, holding out a hand to help him up.

“Work on your speed.” She advised. “Now go send me Erica. And tell Derek to take Boyd, and Jackson when he’s done with Boyd.”

Isaac nodded and walked away. Sam looked at her shirt and sighed. There were a few more tears, but she had a feeling it’d be a gonner by the time she was done with Erica.

“So what are you doing to them again?” Erica asked as ran up.

“What do you mean?”

“Derek and Isaac both looked stunned and Scott looked shell-shocked.”

“We are showing you your soft spot.”

“My what?”

“Your pressure point.” She clarified.

“Well I don’t have one.” Erica declared.

“You have a prominent one.” She corrected, a smile on her face.

“What?”

“Attack me and you’ll find out.” Sam pushed.

Erica growled and launched herself at Sam, who stepped out of the way and let Erica fly past.

“You’re weak.” Sam declared. “No wants you. Who would want the weak little girl when they could have anyone else? You have no chance with him.”

Erica growled louder this time and attacked her again, slashing out. Sam grabbed her wrists and threw her aside by her wrists.

“See? Weak. Can’t even attack me. I’m not using magic. Not even using my super strength. You’re just a weak little girl that no one wants. Have your parents even noticed that you moved out? Probably not. I mean, who would?”

Erica snarled, control gone and flew at Sam, slashing and screaming.

Sam put her hands on her shoulders and waited. There was a roar from across the driveway and Erica immediately pulled back, cowering under her alpha’s power.

“What the hell?!” Stiles demanded, running over to look at Sam’s tattered shirt.

“I’m fine Stiles.” Sam said, smiling as she took his hands off of her. “I already healed.”

“What happened?” Derek demanded, coming over.

“Girls are a bit more emotional than boys.” Sam said. She shrugged. “Forgot and misjudged the insults.”

“What are you doing?” Stiles asked.

“Helping them find their soft spots. Some don’t need prodding but Erica thought she didn’t have one. I proved her wrong.”

“I’m sorry.” Erica piped up from her ball on the ground.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” Sam insisted.

“Soft spots?” Lydia asked, walking over.

Sam nodded. “Witches don’t fight with strength. They fight with speed and cunning. The same way I fight. Like I said, they want to get inside our heads. Make us lose control. It’s easier to kill someone who’s so concentrated on a voice in their head that they aren’t paying attention to the fight. So this is the first step in fighting them.”

“Smart.” Lydia observed.

“Very.” Sam agreed.

“What about us?” Stiles asked. “Do we have to do this?”

“No. I can tell each of you what yours is but I’ve kept the other’s a secret and will do the same for each of you.”

“What’s on your shoulder?” Isaac asked randomly.

Sam didn’t bother looking, just answered, “Probably blood.”

“No it’s black.” Stiles said, reaching forward.

Sam glanced down then and smiled. “Oh yea, you guys haven’t seen them yet.”

“Seen what?” Scott asked, walking up.

Sam didn’t answer, just smirked and pulled her shirt off, leaving her in a sports bra and sweat pants. And tattoos. Lots of them. They were tiny, drawn along the lines of her ribs and along the curve of her collarbone. They were tiny yet the pack could see that they were intricate and bright. Some were interrupted by scars and same looked like scars had gone through them but she’d had them fixed over the scars. On her left shoulder was one large one, a stark black rose on her shoulder, that had a scar straight through the center that she’d had it fixed over.

"I see why you wear longer sleeves now." Isaac commented, staring at the scars on her arms.

Sam laughed and turned slowly so they could see the runes etched down her spine and on her hips. “They all do something. And I like them.”

“They’re amazing.” Stiles said, his voice filled with awe.

Sam smiled. “That’s great Stiles. Now how about you give me that button up you’ve got on so I can stop being half naked. My shirt’s a lost cause.”

Stiles nodded and pulled it off, leaving him in his under shirt, and tossed it to her. She pulled it on and looked at Derek.

“They all know they’re soft spots now?”

He nodded. “What’s the rose for?”

“Good.” She said, ignoring his question. “Get started on the meditation. They have to separate themselves. I need to go start the protections. Lydia, Danny, and Stiles, with me!” She shouted the last bit so Danny would hear where we was with Jackson, calming the wolf down from his turn with Derek. He stood and walked over, joining them.

“Follow me.” Sam said. “We have to go to my flat.”

“Isn’t all your stuff still at my house?” Stiles asked.

“My clothes and things I need on a daily basis are.” Sam said. “But I put all my magic stuff at my flat. I don’t need you getting into when I’m not around.”

Stiles ducked his head, knowing she had a point. Then he looked up again. “What is the rose for?”

“It’s a mark of my path.” She explained shortly.

He nodded. “Cool.”

“We’re taking your jeep.” Sam declared, changing the subject.

“Alright. You’ll have to direct me though. I still have trouble finding it.” Stiles said, fishing out his keys and getting in. Sam got in the front and Lydia and Danny got in back.

“What are we doing?” Lydia asked.

“Hopefully not blowing up.” Sam answered. “And hopefully making something to protect the wolves. But mostly not blowing up. That seems like a good goal for this.”

The three of them looked terrified, but Sam just happily grinned and directed Stiles to her flat.


	21. Magic

Danny’s POV (because why the fuck not)

“Duck!” Sam exclaimed as the knives in the block on the counter flew out and embedded themselves in the wall opposite.

I slowly stood up from my crouch on the floor and looked at her, terrified. I saw matching expressions on Stiles and Lydia’s faces as they stood up opposite me.

“Hm.” Sam said, looking down at the bowl. “Well that’s never happened before. Interesting.”

“Interesting?!” Lydia exclaimed. “We almost died!”

“No there’s no chance of death here. Serious injury is highly probable though.” Sam said it dreamily, almost to herself, as she walked back over to the counters. She’d been like this ever since we started an hour ago. As if part of her mind was somewhere else.

“Stiles?” She said. “Would you please drop the fur in?”

Stiles nodded and opened the baggie he was in charge of, which was filled with hair from the wolves. He pulled out a pinch and dropped it in the bowl on the table. There was a small fizz and then it exploded. We all dove back under the island to avoid the glass shards. When we didn’t hear the glass hit anything we came back up and gasped.

Sam was facing us again, her irises silver, and her hand was thrown out towards us. And the bowl was frozen in the air, mid-explosion. Slowly she closed her fist and the bowl came back together, the liquid explosion stayed in the air though. She dragged her fist towards her and directed the explosion into a small vial. She popped the cork on and her eyes went back to normal. Inside the vial the explosion was still frozen. She sighed. “I really hoped that one would work.”

“What did you do to it?” Lydia asked, inching closer to look at the vial.

Sam looked down at it. “Frozen explosion. It’s a lot like a Molotov cocktail except a thousand times more volatile.” She turned around and put it in the cupboard.

“If you threw that at something and it broke, what would happen?” Stiles asked curiously.

“You’d free the explosion.” Sam answered. “It’s only safe as long as it’s sealed. Soon as it’s not it’ll finish exploding.”

“Cool.” I said. “So now what?”

“I have no idea.” Sam declared. “We finished the cords, we made the juice, and we now have an explosion in a bottle.”

“What was that supposed to do anyway?” Lydia asked, looking at the glass bowl on the counter.

Sam looked at the bowl and sighed. “It was _supposed_ to make a potion to help the wolves control their inner wolves. But they can go without.”

“And the knives?” I asked.

“Happens sometimes with magic.” She shrugged. She glanced at the clock. “Alright, that’s enough. Tomorrow meet me at the pack house. I need to talk to Derek and explain the amulets but then we’re going to try something.”

We all nodded and gathered up our things. Sam ushered us out and locked the door behind us. We all went out to Stiles’s jeep and got in.

“Sam?” Lydia asked as we pulled out.

“Yes Lydia?” She answered.

“You looked scared today, when you told us about the coven. Why?”

Sam took a deep breath. “I don’t face witches often. I don’t like them. I never have. And if these witches are trained in a druid path, I can’t kill them. Not without a concrete reason.”

“Like what?” Stiles asked.

“If they attack, I can kill them. But only then. Now they are just a possible threat. I can defend against them, but I cannot attack until they do.”

“That’s stupid.” Stiles declared. “You should be able to protect.”

Sam laughed. “We have rules for a reason Stiles.”

“And what are they?” I asked.

Sam just turned a bit and smiled at me. “Why do you have rules Danny? Why does the pack have rules?”

I thought for a moment. “So we don’t do something stupid.”

“Exactly.” She answered.

Stiles pulled up outside my house and cut the engine. “See you tomorrow Danny!” He said happily.

I nodded slowly, getting out. “Yea, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I looked at Lydia. “Jackson’s coming here tonight, right?”

She nodded. “And I’m heading to Allison’s. Scott’s going to Stiles’s.”

“What about me?” Stiles asked.

“Scott’s going to yours tonight.” I answered.

He nodded. “Cool with me.”

“Where are the others?” Sam asked.

“Pretty much everyone else has been sleeping at the pack house. We were there last night but Jackson has work in the morning so he wants to get away.”

“You’re a good friend Danny.” Sam said. “You put up with a lot of shit.”

I smiled. “It’s just returning the favors Jackson always did for me.” I said before shutting the door and walking with Lydia up to the doors of my house.

 

3rd Person POV

“What did he mean by that?” Sam asked.

Stiles smiled. “Danny came out as gay years ago. He started getting picked on and beat up because of it. Until Jackson found out. He figured out who it was and went after them. The next day they came to school looking beat to hell and apologized to Danny. No one’s bothered him since. Some try, but they always show up later with a black eye and an apology. Jackson may be a douchebag, but he’s always protected his friends to the best of his abilities.”

“Like I used to do with you and Scott.” Sam said, smiling at the memories.

Stiles laughed. “Yea, almost exactly like that. Except you made them apologize and beg for our forgiveness.”

Sam grinned. “It was fun. I missed those days. Still do.”

Stiles smiled a bit sad. “Yea, but you’re back and now we’ll create new days.”

“Exactly.”

 

The next day everyone but Jackson, who was working, showed up at the Pack House.

“Where’s Sam?” Lydia asked Stiles as he got out of his jeep.

He shrugged. “Left while I was in the shower.”

There was a loud crash from inside the house and the sounds of fighting. Everyone looked at each other and moved towards the door but it burst open before they could. Sam and Derek tumbled out, locked in combat. Derek was in full beta form, snarling and clawing at her. Sam was just holding onto his shoulders and trying not to get eviscerated.

Everyone started screaming for Derek to stop, but he either couldn’t hear them or was ignoring them.

“I can’t hold him for much longer!” Sam screamed back, lunging her weight against him and knocking them to the ground.

The other wolves growled and shifted before throwing themselves into it as well.

“What’s wrong with Derek?” Lydia whispered to Stiles.

“I have no idea. But I hope he doesn’t hurt her.”

“Why not?” Allison asked, walking over.

“She could hurt him and make it heal at a human rate if she wanted to.”

“Ah.” She said. “Well what’s wrong?”

The other three shrugged.

“We got here and they were fighting in the house. Then they burst out and then this.” Danny said.

They all jumped as the other wolves flew back and they could see Sam and Derek again. She was straddling his lap, pinning his wrists above his head and her feet were locking his legs down. Her irises glowed silver as she stared down into his bright red ones. Both of them were in tattered clothes and smeared with blood. There were no visible cuts, but the slashes in their clothes meant at one point there was. As they all watched, Derek stopped struggling and stared back at her.

“Release him.” She hissed.

“Never.” Derek’s mouth was the one that moved, but the voice wasn’t his. “A human emissary is no match for me.”

“I do not stand alone.” Sam said, power in her voice.

Immediately Stiles, Lydia, and Danny all moved towards Sam. Stiles stood directly behind her, over Derek’s legs, and put a hand on her back between her shoulder blades while Lydia and Danny stood on either side, a hand on each of her shoulders.

“I do not stand alone.” She repeated. Lydia’s eyes went dark, the irises glowing black. Danny’s brown eyes just started to glow and a ring of green appeared around the pupil. And Stiles’s eyes glowed silver, not as bright as Sam’s though.

“We push you from this body and force you away.” The four of them said together. “We banish you, never to return to this property. We send you back to the Abyss.”

A scream tore its way out of Derek’s mouth and Sam reared back, just narrowly getting hit by the dirt colored smoke pouring from Derek’s mouth. It rose into the air and flew away. The four druids pitched forward as their eyes went back to normal and fluttered with exhaustion. Sam looked down at Derek, having caught her weight and Stiles on her hands. He was staring back at her.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

She laughed. “Not your fault.” She turned her head and looked at Scott. “Scotty! Get our bestie off me!”

Scott laughed and walked over. He helped Stiles off of Sam so she could get off Derek.

“Well that was interesting.” She said.

“What just happened?” Lydia asked, breathless from where she was laying on the ground.

“Demon.” Derek answered, getting up.

“Demon?” Danny asked, reaching out to take Boyd’s offered hand and getting pulled to his feet.

“What the hell was a demon doing here?” Jackson asked, helping Lydia to her feet.

“It was, under the control of the witches. This means they have the amulet. That was just a test run to see our capabilities. It’s gone now, sent back to the abyss demons come from but they might bring more over. All of you need to put an amulet on now and _never_ take it off.” Sam declared. She hurried into the house and came back out with a black duffel bag. She dropped it on the ground and waved Derek over. “Alpha, get your ass over here.”

He walked over and she tossed a necklace up at him. It was a black cord with wire wrapped with it. “Put it on. It’ll stop them from the demon from possessing you and stop the witches from controlling you.”

He slipped it on and it glowed red for a moment before fading away to black cord again.

“The rest of you get over here.” Sam said. Everyone walked over and she handed out cords. As the put them on, they glowed their eye color. Gold for Scott, Isaac, Boyd, and Erica and blue for Jackson. Then she handed three out to her students with smiles. They slipped them on and they glowed the colors their eyes had just been.

“But what was _that_?” Lydia asked. “With us? We all spoke as one. It was like we were connected.”

“When you took me as your teacher and I took you as my students we became connected. If you come in contact with me, my power can activate yours and put the right words in your mouth. All you have to do is say them and the spell is cast with your power. I don’t do it often because I believe it is rude to use someone else’s power. But in that case he was trying to kill us and I found it necessary.”

Lydia nodded. “Alright. Next time we could use some warning though.”

Sam laughed. “Deal.”

“What’s happening Sam?” Stiles asked, able to stand on his own again. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know Stiles, but I do know one thing. This Friday we are going to attack. They sent a demon to possess Derek and that is cause enough for me to go to battle.” She looked at Derek. “You have till Friday to make them ready. I will be going, whether you come or not is up to you.” Then she turned to her students. “I will not make you fight, but you may come if you wish.”

Stiles stepped forward immediately. “Where you go, I go.”

“And I never back down.” Lydia added.

“I’ve got nothing much to lose.” Danny said.

“We will follow you.” Derek said. The wolves all nodded.

“Muintir.” Scott added. Sam smiled at that.

“And the hunters stand on your side.” Allison said.

“Good. Because there’s a storm coming. And we better hold tight when it hits, or it may just blow us away.”


	22. To Battle We Go High On Our Horses

3rd Person POV

Friday night Stiles said goodbye to his dad and kissed his cheek, warning him to stay close to town tonight. The Sheriff nodded and knew better than to ask why. He knows he’ll be told in the morning.

As soon as the Sheriff was gone, Stiles went upstairs to his bedroom. Sam was sitting on his bed, calm and collected, no emotion on her face. She was dressed in the same clothes she’d been wearing the first time he saw her after she was back. When she saved him in the forest. She looked up at him and nodded.

“Get ready.” She whispered.

Stiles nodded and grabbed his outfit, going into the bathroom to change. He walked back out a few minutes later in black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket slung over his arm. Just like Sam was wearing.

Sam stood up and walked over to him and reached out a finger. He stood still as she traced symbols on his temple and down his face and neck and then up his arms to his shoulders. As she drew with her fingers, silver lines stayed on his face, shining slightly in the low light from the one lamp they had on. When she was finished, she stepped back.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

He smiled. “No. Don’t be. I finally have a spot tonight. We’re doing this together.” He looked down at the designs on his arms and then back at her. “What are these for again?”

“Protection.” She whispered. “The best I can do to keep you safe from harm.”

Stiles smiled and reached out to take her hand. “We’ll be fine Sam. We always are.”

She nodded and gestured to her head. Stiles nodded and they moved over to the bed. Sam sat on the floor by the edge and Stiles sat behind her on the bed. He ran his fingers through her hair and deftly started braiding. Five minutes later Sam’s waist length hair was braided and tucked up so her hood easily slid over it all. He dropped his fingers to her shoulders and leaned down to set his head on hers.

“It’s going to be alright.” He whispered. “We’ll all be alright.”

She pulled away and stood up, holding her arms up. He surged forward and they hugged tightly.

“Muintir.” Sam whispered.

“Muintir.” Stiles repeated.

 

An hour later they pulled up to the pack house and got out. They’d driven Sam’s car over so she had all her things. They got out and walked around to trunk, which Sam opened to reveal a variety of weapons.

“Here.” Sam said, holding out a bat.

“A bat? A baseball bat? That’s my weapon?”

Sam smiled. “It’s made of rowan, carved with runes of power, coated in iron, and dipped in moonlight. It’s unbreakable and unyielding. And perfect for you.”

Stiles glared playfully for a moment before smiling and taking it.

“Are you ready?” Derek’s voice called from near the house.

“Almost.” Sam said in a normal tone. She grabbed a sword and strapped it to her back. She grabbed a belt a put it on her waist. She slipped a knife into each side and slipped her boot knives into her boots as well. Then she grabbed a thigh holster and strapped it on, grabbing a handgun and checking it over before sliding it into the holster. She looked at Stiles. “We’ve got work to do.” She slammed the trunk shut and they walked around to join everyone else on the front lawn. Lydia and Danny instinctively moved to join them. They were dressed the same as Sam and Stiles in dark jeans, white shirts, and leather jackets.

“We look like a boy band gone wrong.” Lydia declared.

Sam smiled slightly. “You should see the big hunts. Dozens of us all dressed the same. It’s kind of funny to see.”

Lydia looked horrified at the thought.

“Are we going now?” A man’s voice asked.

“Oh shut up Jerome.” Allison snapped. “We go when we go and not a minute before.”

The whole pack turned to look as a group of six hunters, including Chris, came out of the forest. She could see around their necks were cords just like the ones the pack was wearing, but more frayed and used. The Argents have faced demons and witches before. They know how to block them.

“They’re yours to command Sam.” Allison declared.

Sam nodded and stepped forward, the pack falling in behind her. “None of you will kill tonight. You will shoot to slow, not to kill. If you do kill one of them, I kill you. Is that clear?”

All the men nodded.

“Good. You will be in the back, guarding our backs. Jackson will be going with you to watch you. Try anything and he has permission to tear out your throat. Is that clear?”

They all nodded again.

“Delightful.” She turned to Allison. “Keep them in check.”

She nodded. “I will.”

Sam smiled. “I know you will.” Then she looked at Derek. “Have they been told their parts?”

Derek nodded. “We’re good to go.”

“Alright. Then let’s get a move on.” She turned towards the forest and smiled. “To battle we go high on our horses.”

“What?” Stiles asked.

“An old saying.” Sam said smiling slightly, as if remembering something.

Stiles nodded. “Cool.”

Sam dropped the smile from her face and started towards the forest and everyone fell in around her. Derek was on her left and Stiles was on her right. Beyond Stiles stood Lydia, Isaac, and Scott. On Derek’s side stood Danny, Erica, Boyd, and Peter. The hunters followed Allison in behind them with Jackson at the very end. As one they walked through the forest.

“How do you know where to go?” Stiles whispered.

“Now that I know what to look for, finding them is easy.” Sam whispered back. “It’s like following a map. Now be quiet, we’re getting close.”

Stiles fell silent and the pack began breathing in unison, taking deep breaths in together and breathing out as one. They reached the edge of a large clearing and stopped.

“Huh.” Sam said. She looked at Derek. “Has this always been here?”

Derek shook his head.

“Hm.”

“A cottage just appears out of literally nowhere in the middle of a clearing that has never existed before and all you have to say is ‘hm’?!” Stiles exclaimed. And he was right. The clearing had never existed before and in the middle was a little cottage. It was traditional and rustic with smoke puffing out of the chimney.

“Be quiet.” Sam said.

Stiles glared at her, but fell silent.

Sam looked back at Derek and nodded. Derek stepped forward and the pack followed, leaving the four druids behind them and closing around them protectively.

“Come out and face us!” Derek growled.

The door to the little cottage opened. Four women and one man stepped out. The man stood in the center with two women on each side.

“What do you want?” The man asked.

“You off my land.” Derek answered.

The man smirked. “Well I suppose you’ll be disappointed then, because we aren’t leaving.”

“Then we make you.” Derek declared, dropping one foot back into an attack stance and shifting. All the other wolves followed his example and snarled at the man.

The man smiled and dropped into an offensive stance as well. “Very well. We shall kill you all and take your land. Much easier than a truce.”

Derek snarled and both sides launched themselves at each other.

“Do we help them?” Lydia asked worriedly.

“No.” Sam said, sounding a little bored. “They can handle them. It’s the coven’s elder I’m worried about. I can’t sense her around but I also can’t sense part of that house so I’m assuming that’s where she is.”

“We have to get to her then.” Stiles said.

“Yep.” She turned and led them around the fight, heading for the house.

In the fray, the wolves were dodging blasts of magic and slashing out with their claws, but they couldn’t land a hit.

“We can’t hit them!” Scott shouted.

Sam snarled. “She’s protecting them. She must have the amulet.” Sam turned towards the house and raised her hands. She pulled them back, like she did when she freed Isaac, and the others followed suit. “Lydia?”

“Yes?”

“Fair warning.”

Lydia nodded and as one the coven pushed their hands forwards, towards the house. Light shot from their palms. Wherever the black light from Lydia’s hands hit, the house decayed, rotting away. Where the brown and green light from Danny hit, roots shot from between the stones, pushing them apart and making them crumble. And where the silver light of Sam and Stiles hit, the house just vaporized. The wolves and the other coven stopped fighting to watch them as they destroyed the house. The man from the other coven took a step forward, but was blown back.

Peter saw his chance while they were all distracted and jumped forward, slashing the throats of the two women nearest to him. The man screamed and threw a knife, which lodged itself straight in his heart.

Derek roared and stepped forward but was pushed away. Slowly, an invisible barrier grew between the two sides, gently pushing them apart.

Sam, Stiles, Danny, and Lydia finished with the house, leaving it in ruins, and dropped their hands. They swayed slightly but continued to stay in physical contact and soon looked well again.

“That is enough fighting.” A voice said. From the ruins of the house stepped an elderly woman, though very fit looking, with silver hair. She had a staff in her hand as she walked out to join her coven. Around her neck hung a leather cord with an iron medallion on it. Sam growled at the sight of it. “You have killed my own.” She said, looking at Peter’s body. “And so you have paid.” She turned and looked at Stiles, Sam, Lydia, and Danny. “And you have destroyed my house.”

“You trespass on claimed land.” Sam spat.

“There are no druids here.” The woman spat back. “Only weak little emissaries.”

Sam smirked and took a step forward. “Then you will…” she paused to think of a word, “humor me when I challenge you to a fight.”

The woman smirked. “The stakes?”

“I win, you leave.” Sam stated. “Simple as that.”

“And when I win and you lose?”

“You may have this clearing.” Derek made a sound of protest but Sam raised her hand. “I am in charge tonight Derek.”

The woman smirked. “I accept your challenge.” She waved her staff and both sides were pushed away from her, leaving a big space to fight.

Sam looked at the other three and nodded. “Go wait by them. I’ll be fine. I can take her.”

The woman laughed. “If we’re going to do this, I’d like to at least know your name before I kill you.”

“My name is Sam. What’s yours?”

“I am Johanna. Elder of the Jaguar Coven.”

Sam smiled. “I’ve heard of you. You go around stealing land and draining it of power before moving on. Last I heard you were in Mexico.”

“Yes, but the sun and constant heat didn’t agree with my skin, so we came up here.”

“Well you should’ve gone somewhere else.” Sam said smiling. “Because this land is claimed and protected.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“May I ask one more thing?”

Johanna waved her hand for her to ask.

“That medallion, you already used it. You cracked the worlds. Didn’t you?”

Johanna smirked. “I will not be here when they finally break free, but you will. And so you will die. Or now. I’m not picky.” With that, the woman threw herself at Sam and they started to fight. Neither of them used magic. Instead they clawed and punched and kicked as they rolled around. Then, Johanna was blasted back and Sam flipped to her feet. Her eyes glowed silver and she snapped her arms out, claws extending.

“Fight me.” She snarled.

Johanna smirked and shifted. She lowered herself to the ground and soon Sam was facing a massive jaguar.

“Bring it on.” Sam sneered. The jaguar launched itself at her and she snarled, starting up the fight again. There was blood flying as they fought. Scott and Stiles had to be held back by the others as Sam cried out in pain. A moment later the jaguar that was Johanna cried out.

It only took a minute, but the minute lasted forever. Then, Sam gained the upper hand and slammed the jaguar to the forest floor, forcing Johanna back to human form. Her right hand held her down by her neck while Sam sat over her.

“Finish it then.” Johanna snarled.

“First I want you to know why this was such a bad idea.” Sam whispered. She reached to her right wrist with her left hand and undid the bracelet. She threw it towards the pack as Johanna’s eyes widened.

“High Druid.” She whispered, voice filled with terror.

“Like I said. This. Land. Is. Claimed.” With that she pulled back and slashed her hand across her throat. The blood spattered across her chest and face and she wiped most of it away, smearing the rest, before standing and turning to look at the enemy coven. “Your elder committed the grievous crime of attempting to steal land from a druid. But you are not innocent either. You have assisted her before in draining land of it’s magic. You are as guilty as she is.” She looked at the man. “And you killed a wolf in my pack.”

The man fell to his knees and lowered his head in submission. “I apologize for my actions and beg for forgiveness.” He whispered.

“You have a choice to make.” Sam said. “You may die here and now at the hands of the pack who’s member you took or you can die in a year from my curse. It is your choice. Choose wisely.”

The man stood and ran away.

Sam looked at the two women. “You have the same choice.”

They turned and ran away together.

There was a shout from the pack as the old woman lunged to her feet and drove her cane through Sam’s abdomen.

“It’s not that easy to kill me little one.” Johanna snarled.

Sam smirked and looked down at the wooden rod. “Well would you look at that,” she laughed, “I’ve been impaled.” She turned around and looked down at the woman. “You should know better than that Johanna. You said it yourself, I’m a High Druid. And this is my land.” She reached around to her back and pulled the cane out. “You don’t get a choice.” She muttered before ramming the cane through Johanna’s heart. Her eyes flashed silver and she fell back onto the forest floor, seizing.

“Sam!” Stiles screamed, lunging for her, but Derek grabbed him and kept him back.

“No.” He said. “You can’t go near her. She said this might happen.”

A moment later she stopped and froze. “Oh shit.” She muttered before she started to scream.


	23. Muintir

Stiles’s POV

I sighed and dropped my bag before going up to my room. It’s been a week since the battle and everything is finally starting to clear up. We came up with a logical story, courtesy of Dad, and everyone was alright. Allison had sent the hunter’s home with strict orders not to track the three Sam had let go. The pack was alright and we were getting ready for school to start on Monday. The full moon last night went fine and everyone was controlled during it. Everything was good. Except one thing. Sam.

I went into my room and kicked off my shoes before walking over and sitting next to her hip on the bed. I picked up her hand and traced the black veins running up her arm, the arm she’d used to stab Johanna. They had made themselves known the day after the battle, and refused to go away.

“When are you going to wake up?” I whispered.

“She moved today.” Jackson said, walking out of the bathroom. The pack’s all been taking turns watching her so she’s never alone. Jackson’s been here since noon when Scott went home. Isaac was here during the night before that.

I looked at him, knowing that hope filled my eyes. “How much?” 

“Her hand closed into a fist and opened again. That was it.”

I sighed and looked back at her. “Deaton said she should’ve woken up by now.” I whispered. “Why isn’t she waking up?”

Jackson walked over and set a hand on my shoulder. We still aren’t exactly friends, but being in the pack as brought us closer so I didn’t feel bad at all about turning and burying my face in his stomach. He put his hand on my head and we sat there like that for a while before I heard the window being pushed open and the familiar sounds of someone sliding in.

“Well I’m glad you two finally stopped being pissy.” Erica said, kicking off her shoes.

I pulled away and flew into her arms. She caught me easily, used to my panicky tactilness lately.

“She’s going to be fine Stiles.” She whispered in my ear. “She’ll wake up.”

I nodded and pulled away to look at her.

“Come on.” Erica said. “Jackson can watch her for a bit more. We’re going to go down and get you something to eat.”

I glanced at Jackson, who nodded, so I nodded as well. “Alright.” I whispered.

Erica pulled me gently downstairs and sat me down at the table.

“Stiles?” She asked.

“Yea?” I answered.

“What’s between you two?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve only ever seen you this worried when Scott got injured against that scorpion thing. And that makes sense because he’s been your best friend since ever. But she left eight years ago and you two are still as close as could be.”

“We didn’t sleep much the first week she was here.” I admitted. “We talked a lot. About everything. And then after she saved me and Isaac from the rogue and revealed her powers, we talked even more. She’d put a ward around my room so any wolf listening wouldn’t hear the words, only our heartbeats. She let our heartbeats through so you wouldn’t panic. I love Scott, but he’s not the best listener. She’s always listened.” Now that I’d started I was finding it hard to stop. “I was the talker and she was the listener. We were opposites. She was quiet and shy in public and I was loud and outgoing. But we both had dads on the force and we fit together like pieces of a puzzle. When she came back it was easy to slide her back into my life. I can’t lose her. She’s Muintir.”

“What is that word? I’ve heard her use it before.” Erica asked, curious, as she leaned against the counter.

“It’s a word her mother used to use and that we used before she left.” I raised my gaze and stared at her as I let the same words she’d used to explain it to me tumble from my mouth. “It means something along the lines of family. But it’s deeper than that. It’s love and family and trust and, well, it’s a lot like pack. It’s an unspoken promise to always be there when we need each other. And to be there when we don’t need, but only want. It’s an unspoken promise between her, Scott, and I to always defend each other until the very end. To never leave when we’re needed. To always stand at each other’s sides and protect with our last breath’s. It’s power and love and safety all wrapped up in one little word. It’s everything we need to be and everything we need the others to be. It’s Family.”

Erica seemed a little shocked, but I just looked away and bowed my head.

“You were never alone.” Erica whispered.

“What?” I asked, looking up at her.

“You used to say that you were alone. That you had no one but Scott. Then you joined the pack and said you finally had someone, but you were never alone. You’d been a part of her pack from the start. From the first time she called you that. That’s why you fell in under Derek so easily. She followed Talia and Derek is Talia’s son. He carries her power inside him. You felt it without realizing it and trusted the power you didn’t even know you could feel. That’s amazing.”

I smiled slightly. “When my mom died, I started having panic attacks.” I looked away as I talked, not wanting to look at her as I spoke. I didn’t know why I wanted to tell her, but I felt the need to. “I didn’t know what to do. But I knew Sam had them, so I went to her and asked what to do. She said there was nothing I could do to prevent them, but I could stop them and control them a bit easier if I found something to latch on to. Something to be the light in the dark of the panic. I asked her if that’s what she did and she said yes. I asked her what it was and she just smiled. ‘You already know what it is.’ She’d said. And I did. I knew we were her light. Scott and I. She’d often scream our names during the worst nightmares and panic attacks. A few days later I had another one and instead of clawing around in the darkness I looked for my light. I looked for her. I remembered all the days the three of us had spent just lying around at one of our houses and watching movies because our parents were working. I remembered the days we’d spend running through the woods, laughing and having a care in the world. And I remembered when she held me in her arms on the floor of the hospital while I cried because my mother was gone. I remembered Scott joining us and my dad after that, but I didn’t let go of her. I soaked her shirt with tears and snot but she didn’t care. She just held me close and kept whispering that word to me. Muintir. Over and over again. I remembered what she’d told me it meant and I said it back. Scott joined us and said it and we made a promise that night to always be there for each other. To never hurt each other. To protect each other. That word only meant family before that night, but then it became more. It became what connects us. We’d held Scott when his dad left and his mom said he wasn’t coming back. They held me when my mom died and we held her when her dad died. We’ve all lost people and we were always there to help each other through it. When her mom took her away Scott and I got even closer but it wasn’t the same without her. We adjusted and then Scott got bit that night in the forest and I realized how much I missed her. I’d managed to hide it for so long but the first full moon I only had two thoughts on my mind. Stopping Scott from doing something he’d regret and wishing she was there to help. It never really went away after that but I pushed it aside. All the shit that happened didn’t really give me much time to miss her, but when I could, I did. I missed her like crazy. I remember one night I fell asleep crying and pissed at her because she wasn’t there to help us. To make it all better. She wasn’t there to hold me and whisper to me that it was going to be okay. That everything would be fine. And now she’s back and I’m never letting go of her again. I need her. Not because I’m in love with her but because she’s been with me from the start. Our mothers were best friends. We slept in the same crib some nights. She’s as big a part of me as Scott is and in some ways bigger. So yea, there’s something between us. She’s my family. And I love her.” With that I dropped my head back to the table with a heavy sigh. “And Jackson probably heard all of that and is going to tease me relentlessly for it.”

“Jackson left when he heard me ask about her.” Erica said. “I’m the only one who heard.”

“So she’s alone upstairs?!” I screeched, jumping up.

Erica clamped a hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me back down. “I can hear her Stiles. I’ll hear if she moves or wakes up. It’s fine. Now eat.” She put down a plate of rice and chicken from the Chinese place a few blocks away and I smiled.

“Thank you.” I whispered.

She smiled and kissed my head. “Anything for pack.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one was a bit short but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless.


	24. Woke Up

Scott’s POV

I woke up to a cold foot pressed against my calf. “Ugh.” I mumbled. “Stiles get your feet away from me.”

“M’feet are nowhere near you.” He mumbled back.

“How about you both shut up? My head’s pounding.” I heard Sam mumble.

Stiles and I shot up. “SAM!” He screamed.

She groaned. “Boys. Shut up. Headache.” She growled it out but we were too happy to care. We threw ourselves down on her and hugged her tightly.

“Oi.” She said, her voice weak. “Little hard to breathe there Scotty.”

I pulled back instantly, having forgotten about my extra strength. “I’m so glad you’re back.” I whispered as we pulled back and just knelt over her.

“Never left.” She said back, a small smile on her face. “Just a bit harder to respond than usual.”

“We should call the pack.” Stiles whispered, reaching for his phone.

Sam reached out and gently wrapped her fingers around her wrist. “In the morning.” She whispered. “Right now I just need you two and a bit of sleep to help with the headache.”

I nodded and immediately laid down, pulling her onto me. She laid on me, her back to my chest and Stiles curled up with his head on her chest. The same we always laid growing up.

“What did you do with the medallion?” She whispered.

“It’s in a locked box in your flat.” I answered.

“Thank you.” She murmured.

I nodded against her head and smiled. Then I remembered what she’d said at the battle and nudged her. “Sam?”

“Hm?”

“What did you mean a crack between worlds?”

She sighed. “I’ll tell you later, alright?”

I nodded. “Alright.”

“Goodnight Muintir.” She whispered.

I grinned at the word and tightened my hold on her. “Goodnight Muintir.” I whispered.

“Goodnight Muintir.” Stiles whispered.

And we laid in silence, slipping into sleep together, safe in the knowledge that we would be alright.

 

The next day we told the pack she was awake and within an hour we had a bed full of pack. We were comfortable in the pile, surrounded by warmth with her pressed between Stiles and I.

We all looked up as the window opened again and Derek slipped through. He looked wrecked.

He stood by the window, tensed as if he wanted to run, but Sam pinned him with a glare.

“Get your furry ass over here right now.” She demanded. “You lost your uncle, and I respect that you may want to be alone a bit, but I have been unconscious for a week and have _still_ spent more time with this pack than you. So you’re going to get in this bed and we are going to have quality pack time here and then we’re going to go downstairs and pile up again to watch movies all day.”

Derek didn’t say anything, but he did toe of his shoes and walk over, tentatively sitting on the edge of the bed.

Sam rolled her eyes.. “Pack.” She sighed. “Get him.”

And the rest of the pack surged forward to tackle Derek. They all fell off the bed onto the floor, but they were all laughing and I think I even heard a chuckle from Derek. After they all settled, Allison, Danny, and Lydia threw themselves down on top of the pile, pressing close to their pack.

“I’m sorry guys.” Derek whispered, ruffling Isaac’s hair. “I just didn’t know what to do.”

“We get it Derek.” Stiles said. “Really. We do. He was fucking crazy but he was your family. The last of your old family. But you had to realize that we lost him to. Every wolf here felt his connection severe and it hurt them all. We’re not just a pack Derek. We’re family. And we’re always there for each other.”

Derek looked up at us and nodded. “I’ll try and be better but…”

“We get it.” Sam said, pulling away from Stiles and I and slipping from the bed. She looked at the humans and smiled. “Now, I’m starving so someone order a bunch of pizzas. We’re moving this party downstairs now.”

“Yes ma’am.” Stiles said, grabbing his phone. “But Derek is funding the pizzas because the rest of us are broke ass high schoolers.”

Sam laughed. “Derek you heard him. You’re buying. And Stiles order sodas with those pies cause you probably got nothing good to drink.” Then she turned and left the room.

I stretched lazily and got up. “I’ll meet you guys downstairs. I need a shower.” I declared, heading for the bathroom.

 

Soon enough we were all back downstairs, in another pile, this time with Derek in the midst, and Stiles put Lilo & Stitch on.

“Disney?” Derek asked. “Seriously Stiles?”

Stiles just grinned and burrowed back into his spot on Sam.

“It’s a tradition.” I explained. “We always watch it after we lose someone.”

“You should’ve seen how many times we watched it after Sam left.” Stiles commented.

“Sorry.” Sam whispered to him, knowing I’d hear to.

I squeezed her tightly. “Not your fault.” Then I smiled. “But because of you there was a time I heard Stiles singing the opening song in his sleep.”

Sam laughed, her entire body shaking against me. “I wish you’d recorded it.”

“Next time.” I promised, kissing her head.

“I don’t know whether to be jealous or happy cause holy shit you’re adorable.” Allison said from my other side.

I pulled my arm away from Sam and put it around her. “You’re the only one for me babe.” I said smiling at her.

She smiled back and leaned in to kiss me. But there was a hand in the way.

“I swear to god I will kill you if you pop a boner kissing her while I’m on you.” Sam threatened.

“So move.” I teased, lightly biting the palm of her hand.

She snatched it back and glared up at me. “I know how to castrate you so they don’t grow back.” She threatened. “And I will do it.”

I was about to challenge her when Allison laughed.

“Sorry. I forget sometimes that you can all smell his arousal. Gotta be awkward during these things.”

“Very.” Every other wolf plus Sam said together.

“Well then I’ll move and he can calm himself down.” She said before pulling herself out and moving to the other side to insert herself between Lydia and Danny. I did not whine a little at the contact. Nor did I screech like a girl when Sam slammed her elbow into my balls.

“Idiot.” She muttered. “Now everyone let Derek out so he can go answer the door and pay for our precious pizzas and we can start this amazing movie.”

Everyone shifted to sitting positions, still leaning on each other so we were all connected, and let Derek out of the middle. He went to the door just as the doorbell rang and everyone could hear the guy ask why he needed so many maximum meat pizzas. Stiles had ordered fifteen.

We all stifled laughter as he walked in with the stack and set them on the table, glaring at Stiles. I couldn’t see it but I knew Stiles would just be grinning back at him. He passed around the boxes and each wolf claimed one for themselves and the humans split the rest.

“Play the movie fucker!” Sam exclaimed, pushing at Stiles.

“Shut up woman!” He shouted back. “I’m working on it!”

Everyone else seemed a bit worried but I just laughed. Their relationship will never change.

As the movie started all three of us sang along to the opening title. We were completely out of tune and Stiles and I both screwed up some words, Sam was perfect of course, but we were laughing and grinning as we did it, so we didn’t care that the rest of the pack was staring at us in mock horror. When the song was done we settled in to watch and smiled at the others.

“You three are strange.” Jackson declared.

“Yea. We are. But at least we can be strange together!” We said it all together and then laughed.

“Everyone shut up so I can watch the movie.” Lydia snapped.

We all fell silent and ate our pizza in a comfortable silence, watching the movie.

 

3rd Person POV

After the movie was over Sam cleared her throat. “Alright guys, I’ve got to come clean.”

“What’s wrong?” Stiles asked, worried. “Are you alright?”

“Mostly.” She answered.

“What does that mean?” Derek asked suspicious.

“It means that last week when I killed that witch I didn’t have my shields up. I absorbed everything. Normally I absorb nothing or one thing from my kills, but I accidently absorbed everything.”

“You mean absorbed like how you have claws and great senses and healing?” Scott asked.

Sam nodded. “I don’t know what it’s going to do to me. So I’m leaving. I thought about it during the movie and I’ve just decided. I’m going to leave.”

“No.” Stiles growled. “You are not leaving. Not ever again. You promised!”

Sam didn’t respond, just grabbed his hand and held the ring on his finger in front of his face. “This ring means I’m not leaving completely. I will come back if you call for me. When you need me, I will be here. If you don’t I will still come back when I’m ready. But right now I have no control of my power. The bracelet is the only thing stopping it right now. That’s why I was out for so long. Her power is fighting me. I _have_ to go. Or I might die.”

No one said anything but Stiles through himself into Sam’s arms, holding her close.

“I can’t lose you.” He whispered.

“You’re not losing me. I’m only going away for a bit. I’ll always come home Stiles. I promise. I may leave, but I will _always_ come back to your side.”

He nodded and pulled away. “Fine, but what about school?”

“There’s a spell to make a doppelganger. It’ll look and act like me at school but after that it won’t be able to do anything as it will have to charge for the next day. It’ll do my homework and deal with school shit while I’m away, but it won’t be able to hang out with you guys.”

“You’re coming to school on Monday.” Lydia declared.

“No I have to go Lydia.” Sam insisted.

“Yea and you will, but you made me a promise and you’re going to keep it.”

Sam thought back and then groaned. “Lydia no!”

“Yes!” Lydia insisted. “You’re following through on that and then you can leave!”

“What are you talking about?” Isaac asked.

“I told Lydia I’d spend the night before the first day of school at her house so she could dress me up for it in the morning.” Sam explained.

“And you will damn well do it.” Lydia said, her voice low and threatening.

“Fine!” Sam said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “But for god’s sake I regret that promise!”

“You’ll regret it more when I put you in heels.” Lydia promised.

Sam groaned and buried her head in Stiles neck. “I hate you.” She mumbled.

“No you don’t!” Lydia sang.

“And you never will.” Stiles said. “You care too much.”

Sam groaned again and everyone laughed at her, but there was a sad undertone as everyone thought about her leaving them.

“Wait.” Stiles said.

“What?” Sam asked.

“While we’re being serious, what’s the crack?”

Sam bowed her head, taking a deep breath. This world is surrounded by other worlds on different planes of existence. I keep my wings in between this world and the world of the Fae, where I get my powers from. Another world is known as the Abyss. It’s where demons come from. That medallion has the power to connect the worlds. Johanna used it to bring a demon through and in doing so she cracked the wall between our world and the others. And it’s only a matter of time before it breaks. And then we’ll be in real trouble. If it happens while I’m gone, I’ll feel it. But right now it’s not an immediate threat. Right now we need to concentrate on our normal lives. We may not have one for long.”


	25. Epilogue

Stiles’s POV

Monday started with Dad waking me up with a glass of cold water to the face and a smile.

“Time for school son!” He said happily before leaving for work. I groaned. First day of the last year. I can do this.

 

“I can’t do this.” I declared, leaning against the lockers next to Scott’s.

“Dude, we haven’t even gone to first period yet.”

“Yes but everyone’s been asking me who the girl is that everyone’s been seeing me around with or about the dead body I found in the woods and after school our best friend since forever is leaving! Again! I’m done!”

Scott rolled his eyes and then stopped as something over my shoulder caught his eye. I turned and my jaw dropped. Coming down the hall was Lydia, Allison, and Sam. Lydia looked like a goddess as usual in her usual short cocktail dress and Allison was gorgeous in her badass sort of way wearing a black dress with a long see through skirt and a short, solid one underneath and combat boots with a jean vest thing on top, but Sam. Wow. She was dressed in dark blue skinny jeans paired with a tight green top that said ‘Green does not mean go’ on it. Over it she had on her tight leather jacket, hanging open to show the shirt and sleeves pushed up to show her arms. She was wearing matching, leather, six inch heel boots that reached half way up her calves and the black veins on her hand and up her arm, which hadn’t faded yet despite Deaton’s assurances that they should soon, were stark and bright against her skin. She flashed a smile at us as they stopped at their lockers, which were all together because Lydia could get anything she wanted and had made sure no pack member was alone, and then the three of them sauntered off to class again.

I turned to looked at Scott. “Did you see?”

“Yeap.” He whimpered.

“Lydia did a damn good job.” Isaac said, popping up beside them. “I don’t think there was a single male in this entire hallway besides pack members that weren’t aroused at that.”

Scott growled slightly and I automatically touched his shoulder. “Stop that. She is more than capable of taking care of herself.”

Scott nodded and grabbed his Econ book. “Come on. We need to get to class.”

 

The day dragged on with each teacher telling us how this was the year we really needed to try our hardest and imploring us to start thinking about college right away. Except coach, he talked about his college experience all period. It is not something I want to repeat. Finally we reached lunch and the whole pack gathered at one table.

“Where are the girls?” Jackson asked, looking at the empty spots we left for them.

The doors slammed open and the three girls stepped in. Everyone in the lunchroom turned as one and stared at them. Lydia leaned over to whisper something in Sam’s ear that made her throw her head back and laugh, her hair tumbling down her back. Allison chuckled next to them and rolled her eyes, before leading the way over. She dropped down next to Scott, kissing him on the cheek and snatching a grape of his plate. Lydia gracefully sat next to Jackson and kissed him but she didn’t bother stealing his food. And Sam, well Sam plopped down next to me, gave me a one armed hug, and stole my entire burger.

“Hey!” I shouted. “My burger!”

She just grinned and took a bite before handing it back and getting up again to go get her own lunch. I frowned down at my burger, now missing a chunk.

“She ate my burger.” I muttered.

“Stiles.” Scott said.

“She ate my burger.” I repeated, poking the bite marks.

“Stiles.” Scott insisted.

“She ate my burger!” I exclaimed.

“Shut up Stiles!” Scott exclaimed.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because every single person in this room is staring at you.” He hissed.

I looked up and sure enough a bunch of people were staring at me. “Why are they looking at me?” I whispered.

“Because the hot new girl in school walked up, gave you a hug, took a bite of your burger, and walked off.” Lydia said. “Very impressive Stiles.”

“I’m so confused.” I sighed.

“They all think I’m your girlfriend.” Sam said, plopping down next to me again. “And here, have a bite of mine if it makes you feel better.” She said, offering her burger.

I immediately leaned forward and tore a bite off. “Good. Now we’re even.”

She rolled her eyes and took a bite as well. “You’re an idiot.” She muttered.

“Wait.” I said, catching up with the conversation. “Did you say they think I’m dating you?”

“Stiles, no one here has seen me in eight years and no one recognizes my name. They just see me, a hot girl according to Lydia, eating your food. And you not caring. Well caring a bit but shutting up after eating literally from my hand. Not that surprising they got confused, don’t you think?”

“Hey Sam?” Danny asked.

“Yea?”

“How come you’re eighteen but only a junior?” He asked the question as if it had been bothering him for a while.

She laughed. “Random but alright. I made my mother hold me back so I could go into the same grade as Stiles and Scott.” She answered, shrugging. “So I’m older than everyone else.”

I grinned, remembering how happy we were that we’d be staying together.

“What made you decide to do that?” Lydia asked.

She laughed. “They were my best friends and the only people I really knew. It wasn’t that hard of a decision.” Just as she was finishing speaking, her head shot up and she looked around.

“Sam?” I asked. “You alright?”

“I’m fine.” She said. “Just smelt something weird.”

“It’s a high school.” Scott said. “You’ll get used to it.” As soon as he said it he realized what he’d said and who he’d been talking to and ducked his head, sadness emanating from him. I wasn’t even a wolf and I could feel it.

Sam reached across and grabbed his hand. “Hey. Stop that. It’ll be alright.”

Scott nodded and looked up at her. “Just gonna miss you.” He whispered.

She smiled slightly. “I’ll come back as soon as I can. I promise.”

 

After cross country practice, which Coach was making all the lacrosse players do, the entire pack met in the parking lot of the 7-11 on the edge of town. We all parked in a circle and then waited together in the center. Sam was the last to pull up and filled the hole in the circle before joining us in the center. She fell straight into my arms and I hugged her tightly, knowing it might be the last time for a long time. Then she moved to Scott and hugged him the same before moving through the pack, hugging them all. When she got to Lydia and Danny she smiled sadly.

“You two better keep up on your training and listen to Deaton. And make sure Stiles does to.” She said. Deaton was to take over their basic training while she was gone.

They both nodded and she hugged them tightly before moving to Derek. “Keep them safe.” She whispered.

He nodded and they hugged quickly.

She turned to look at us all. “I’m gonna miss you all.” She was choking back tears now and I could hear it in her voice.

I started to tear up to as she walked back towards her car and opened the door. She stared at us all and gave a sad smile.

“Goodbye Muintir.” She said before sliding into the seat and driving away.

I let the tears fall then, turning and folding into Scott and Allison, who were next to me. Everyone gathered around and we stood together and cried as our pack mate and coven leader drove away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I kind of set the ending up to be followed by a sequel that I've already started but should I post it? And what do you guys think should happen in the sequel? Any questions you're dying to have answered? Any couples you think would be perfect together? I'd like to know and I'll see what I can do about them. I hope you guys enjoyed the story and I'll hopefully see you all in the future.


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